# Kimchi Jjigae Recipe: Easy Korean Kimchi Stew with Pork & Tofu

Kimchi Jjigae Recipe: Easy Korean Kimchi Stew with Pork & Tofu takes 50 min (15 min prep, 35 min cooking) and serves 4.

Recipe by masalamonk.com · original: https://masalamonk.com/kimchi-jjigae-recipe/  
Cuisine: Korean · Dish: Soups & stews  
On Meez: https://meezenplace.app/recipes/kimchi-jjigae-recipe-easy-korean-kimchi-stew-with-pork-tofu (with step-by-step Cook Mode)

A Korean kimchi stew made with well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi, thinly sliced pork belly and medium-firm tofu. The ingredients simmer in a rich, savoury red broth until the cabbage is tender, then the stew is served hot with rice.

## Ingredients (serves 4)

- 450 g (about 1 lb) ripe napa cabbage kimchi, cut into 3–4 cm pieces
- 250 g (about 9 oz) skinless pork belly, sliced 3–5 mm thick and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 250 g (about 9 oz) medium-firm tofu, cut into 1.5–2 cm cubes or thick rectangles
- 1 small onion (about 100 g), thinly sliced
- 4 small garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 spring onions, sliced, dark green tops reserved for finishing
- 550 ml (about 2¼ US cups) water or unsalted stock, plus a little more if needed
- 3 tablespoons kimchi brine, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes), or less if the kimchi is particularly spicy
- 1 tablespoon gochujang, optional
- Soy sauce, if needed
- A small pinch of sugar, optional
- Neutral cooking oil, if needed
- Steamed short-grain rice, to serve
- A small drizzle of toasted sesame oil, optional

## Steps

1. Cut the kimchi into roughly 3–4 cm pieces, keeping the seasoning on the cabbage
2. Slice the pork belly about 3–5 mm thick and cut it into bite-sized pieces
3. Cut the tofu into 1.5–2 cm cubes or thick rectangles and keep aside until near the end
4. Thinly slice the onion and spring onions, reserving the dark green spring-onion tops for finishing, and mince the garlic
5. After handling raw pork, wash your hands, knife and board; there is no need to rinse the pork
6. Set the pot over medium heat and add the pork belly
7. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until some of its fat has rendered, adding a small splash of neutral oil only if the pan remains dry; you want the pork beginning to colour and flavour the base rather than becoming crisp and dry
8. Add the onion, the white and pale-green parts of the spring onions and the kimchi
9. Cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring regularly, until the cabbage softens and some edges start to look translucent; loosen the bottom with a splash of water or stock if it catches
10. Stir in the garlic and gochugaru for about 20–30 seconds, until fragrant; if using gochujang, stir it in now
11. Pour in the water or unsalted stock and the kimchi brine, scraping up the flavourful bits from the bottom
12. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer
13. Partially cover and cook for about 15–20 minutes, until a thicker cabbage rib is tender with no raw crunch, giving it another 5 minutes if needed; add a splash of hot water or stock if the stew is reducing more than you want
14. Set the tofu pieces into the stew and simmer gently for another 4–5 minutes, moving them with a spoon or ladle rather than vigorously stirring, until the cabbage is soft, the pork easy to bite and the tofu hot through
15. Taste a spoonful with some kimchi and pork
16. Add more kimchi brine for a stronger fermented flavour, soy sauce for salt, or a small pinch of sugar if unusually sour kimchi still tastes harsh
17. Finish with the spring-onion greens and, if you like, a small drizzle of sesame oil
18. Serve hot with steamed short-grain rice

## Good to know

### Swaps

- No pork belly? Use thinly sliced pork shoulder, adjusting the rendering time since it has less fat.
- No gochujang? Skip it and add a little extra gochugaru or soy sauce to taste for seasoning depth.
- No medium-firm tofu? Firm tofu works too, just cut it into similar-sized cubes so it holds together in the stew.