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A bubbling pot of red kimchi stew with pork and scallions, served with rice

Kimchi Jjigae Recipe: The Fix for Bland Kimchi Stew

A kimchi jjigae recipe built around the thing that ruins it: kimchi that isn't sour yet. Includes a fast souring fix and a substitute for every item.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g / 2 packed cups sour napa cabbage kimchi cut into bite-size pieces
  • 120 ml / 1/2 cup kimchi juice from the container
  • 150 g / 5 oz pork belly sliced 5 mm thick
  • 1/2 medium onion sliced; substitute: 1 leek white, softer and sweeter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced; substitute: 1 tsp jarred minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp gochugaru, Korean chili flakes
  • 1 tsp gochujang
  • 1 tbsp guk-ganjang, Korean soup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar substitute: 1 tsp Korean rice syrup or honey
  • 500 ml / 2 cups anchovy-kelp broth
  • 200 g / half a block medium-firm tofu sliced 1.5 cm thick; substitute: soft/silken tofu, added in the last 2 minutes
  • 2 scallions cut into 4 cm lengths
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, off the heat

Method
 

  1. Cut the kimchi into bite-size pieces and reserve 120 ml / 1/2 cup of juice from the container.
  2. Fry the pork belly in a dry heavy pot over medium-high heat until the edges brown and fat renders, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the kimchi, onion, garlic, gochugaru, and sugar. Stir-fry for 5 minutes, until the kimchi darkens and smells toasty rather than raw.
  4. Stir in the gochujang and guk-ganjang and cook for 30 seconds.
  5. Pour in the kimchi juice and broth. The liquid should sit about 2 cm below the top of the solids.
  6. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes so the broth reduces and concentrates.
  7. Lay the tofu slices on top and simmer 3 minutes more without stirring.
  8. Scatter the scallions, take the pot off the heat, add the sesame oil, and serve straight from the pot with rice.