Gwangju Cooks: Kimchi Soup

Photography and recipe by Joe Wabe

For the past couple months I’ve been designing recipes that are of western origins with the magic touch of kimchi. This month we are going to pause, and go back to the basics. I’ve probably cooked this dish more times than any other Korean dish.  Depending on who you ask, you may see it transliterated as Kimchi Jjigae, Kimchi Soup or Kimchi Stew, but it all refers to the same bubbling, red hot cauldron of soul satisfying soup made with kimchi, pork and tofu.

Ingredients (1 Serving)

150 grams of pork belly
225 grams of tofu (cut into large cubes)
1 scallion or green onion (thinly sliced)
½ cup kimchi juice
2 cups of kimchi
1 teaspoon of beef stock
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
4-5 dried small anchovies (remove the heads)
½ onion (sliced thickly)
4 cups of water

Preparation

Heat the pot with the sesame oil until hot and then add the pork belly. Allow some of the fat to render before adding the onions and kimchi. Saute until the mixture is fragrant and the kimchi looks dry.

Add the kimchi juice, water, and beef stock, stirring everything until combined. Bring to a boil and then add the anchovies and tofu. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Before serving, turn off the heat, add the scallion and let it sit for five minutes. (For extra spiciness, you can add hot peppers or red pepper powder.)

Do you have an original kimchi recipe you would like to share? Share it with us and let Gwangju know how good it is! Email: recipes@kimchitales.com