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Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae or Kimchi Chigae)

korean-kimchijjigaeorkimchichigaeKorea’s national dish, kimchi, is a spicy, pickled cabbage that is served as a condiment with almost every meal. Kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae or kimchi chigae) combines kimchi with other ingredients such as beef, onions, garlic, and tofu. It is meant to be eaten slowly, and it's served bubbling hot.

Fiery, hearty, and full of flavor, kimchi jjigae (pronounced kim-chee JEE-gay) is great for cold winter days, but Koreans can eat it anytime, anywhere. It's one of the most popular stews in Korea and is featured at many meals and in traditional restaurants. There's just one thing to keep in mind when you're planning to make kimchi jjigae - it is spicy. Really, really spicy. That's why it's served with a lot of white rice, to help balance out all that heat.

¾ lb beef, such as sirloin, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
2 cups kimchi (preferably with napa cabbage), roughly chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
1 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 cups water
½ (14 oz) block firm tofu, cubed
2 scallions, chopped

To Serve:
steamed rice

Sauté the beef in ½ Tbsp. of the sesame oil in a soup pot for a few minutes.

Add kimchi to the pot and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.

Add remaining oil, onion, garlic, gochujang, gochugaru, and soy sauce, mixing to combine. Pour the water into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook for 20-30 minutes to concentrate the flavors, adding the tofu after the first 10 minutes.

Add the scallions at the very end.

Serve this stew immediately after cooking, accompanied by steamed white rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes:

  • When choosing beef for this recipe, tenderloin is best, but you also can use tougher cuts like stew beef and simmer the stew longer.
  • Try to use leftover or older kimchi because it will have a more pungent, richer flavour. Younger kimchi may not, although some may prefer it.
  • Expect to sweat a bit - make plenty of extra rice to counteract the heat factor. Spicy kimchi stew is intended to be eaten slowly, with lots of rice as an accompaniment.

Variations:

  • Common vegetable additions include potatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms.
  • You can use bean paste, or doenjang, instead of gochujang.
  • If you want a little extra bulk, consider adding glass noodles.
  • This recipe calls for using beef, but you can also incorporate pork or canned tuna. The types of pork that work best are bacon, pork belly, or Spam - just halve or omit the oil. If you're using canned tuna, add it along with the onion and garlic.