Kimchi Jjigae(Stew) Korean soul food #cooking #homecook #recipe #koreanfood #kimchi #kfood

My wife loves a Kimchi Jjigae with a clean finish. Every household has its own way of making it, and I mixed together the methods from my family to create something for us. While Korean fish sauce is available in Australia, I used squid fish sauce, which is easier to find here. Kimchi Jjigae (Korean Kimchi Stew) Recipe Serving for 2 Ingredients •300g Aged kimchi (sour) •300g Pork belly or pork shoulder •1 tbsp Minced garlic •2 stalks Spring onion •¼ onion (if large) or ½ onion (if small) Toppings •Finely chopped spring onion •1 Green or red chili (spicy is better) •200g Tofu Broth •600ml Rice water(water from rinsing rice) Or water as a substitute •100ml Kimchi juice Seasoning •1.5 tbsp Perilla oil(or cooking oil as a substitute) •1-2 tbsp Fish sauce(use less if the kimchi is already strong in fish sauce) •2 tbsp Gochugaru(Korean chili powder, coarse or fine) •½-1 tbsp Sugar(use 1 tbsp if kimchi is too sour) •Black pepper •½ tbsp White vinegar Instructions 1. Prepare the ingredients Chop the vegetables, cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Also, slice the toppings and cut the tofu 2. Marinate the pork In a bowl, mix the garlic, spring onion(or onion), pork, gochugaru, and fish sauce. Let it sit while preparing the kimchi 3. Lightly stir fry the kimchi Heat(medium low) perilla oil(or cooking oil) in a pot and lightly stir fry the kimchi until slightly translucent 4. Cook the pork Add the marinated pork and vegetables to the pot and stir-fry briefly(do not overcook, just mix everything well) 5. Add broth Pour in the rice water and kimchi juice, then simmer for about 15 minutes until the garlic is fully cooked 6. Adjust seasoning Taste the stew and adjust with more fish sauce or sugar if needed. Add a little vinegar for extra depth in flavor. Let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes 7. Add toppings and finish Add tofu, chili, and extra spring onions. Cover with a lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes Tips •Perilla oil is highly recommended for the best flavor, but cooking oil is a fine substitute •Stir-fry the kimchi over medium low heat to prevent burning the Perilla oil and bring out the deep flavours •Taste the kimchi first to adjust the seasoning properly •If the kimchi is too sour, add a little more sugar and skip the vinegar •If it lacks depth, add more fish sauce • If you don’t have onions, just use extra spring onions like I do • Rice water enhances the deep, nutty flavor of the stew, making it richer and more balanced