The Ultimate Korean Food Guide: Authentic Kimchi-jjigae Stew Recipe (Pork Kimchi Stew) 🥘

Hello! Today, I’m back with a recipe for the ultimate Korean soul food: Kimchi-jjigae! ✨

The weather has suddenly turned chilly, hasn't it? 🍂 As the wind gets colder, a warm bowl of soup is the first thing that comes to mind. Especially on days when you're stressed out from work or feeling a bit under the weather, I truly believe a bowl of spicy Kimchi-jjigae is better than any medicine in the world.

While Kimchi-jjigae is a national dish that anyone can make, many people surprisingly struggle with it, wondering, "Why doesn't mine have that deep, rich flavor?" So today, I’m going to generously share my no-fail "Golden Ratio" Kimchi-jjigae secrets perfected through dozens of trials and errors! This is a proven recipe that will have your friends finishing two bowls of rice easily, so trust me and follow along! 😊

🛒 Ingredients (Serves 2)

The foundation of a great home-cooked meal is good ingredients! However, this dish is also perfect for a "fridge cleanup." Here are the ingredients I use:

• Essential Ingredients: 1/4 head of well-ripened Kimchi (Sour kimchi is highly recommended!), 200g pork shoulder or belly, 1/2 block of tofu, 1 stalk green onion, 1/2 onion, 1 spicy green chili pepper
• Seasoning: 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chili powder), 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon anchovy fish sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 0.5 tablespoon sugar (adjust based on kimchi acidity), 500ml rice water or plain water
• Optional: Beef bone broth (recommended for a richer taste!), a few mushrooms

💡 Cooking Tip: You absolutely must use sour (aged) kimchi for Kimchi-jjigae! If your kimchi is too fresh, adding one tablespoon of vinegar will miraculously bring the flavor to life. Also, using pork with a bit of fat, like belly or shoulder, makes the stew much more savory!

👨‍🍳 The 5-Step Cooking Process

Now, shall we start the Kimchi-jjigae recipe? Simply following the correct order makes a huge difference in taste!

Step 1. Preparing the Ingredients

First, cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Shake off some of the stuffing from the kimchi and cut it into 3–4cm pieces. Slice the onion, and diagonally slice the green onion and spicy green chili. Cut the tofu into thick slices, and you're ready to go!

Step 2. Sautéing Pork and Kimchi (Crucial!)

Add just a tiny bit of oil to a pot and sauté the pork first. Once the surface of the meat turns white, add the kimchi and 0.5 tablespoon of sugar and sauté them together. The secret here is to sauté until the kimchi becomes translucent! This step ensures a deep and rich flavor in the final broth.

Step 3. Adding Liquid and Boiling

Once the kimchi is wilted, pour in 500ml of rice water (or plain water). Using rice water adds a pleasant starchiness that makes the broth savory and helps remove any gamey smell from the meat. Turn the heat to high and bring to a rolling boil.

Step 4. Seasoning and Simmering

When the stew is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of gochugaru, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce. Now, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for at least 15 minutes. As you know, the longer Kimchi-jjigae simmers, the better it tastes! Add the sliced onions now to bring out a natural sweetness.

Step 5. Final Seasoning and Finishing Touches

For the final seasoning, try using anchovy fish sauce. It creates a much better umami explosion than salt! Now, add the tofu, green onion, and spicy chili, and let it bubble for 2–3 more minutes. Done!

🍽️ Plating & How to Enjoy

Transferring the finished Kimchi-jjigae to a Korean stone pot (ttukbaegi) helps maintain the heat so you can enjoy it hot until the very end. I added a few more green onion pieces on top for a pop of color—doesn't it look mouthwatering? 😍

The ultimate pairings for Kimchi-jjigae are definitely freshly cooked white rice and thick Korean egg rolls (Gyeran-mari)! If you sprinkle some seaweed flakes on the rice and mix it with the stew broth... it becomes a meal you wouldn't trade for anything. If you love heat, feel free to add even more spicy chilies for an extra kick!