EASY 4-Ingredient Kimchi Jjigae

My mom always told me that kimchi jjigae is the easiest dish in the world to make, because all you really need is good kimchi. And she’s right—you can make great kimchi jjigae with minimal ingredients! At the very core, really, all you need is kimchi and a protein such as pork or tuna. Then optionally, you add tofu for added texture and heartiness, and scallion for a more fragrant and fresh tasting broth. I know the ingredient list has more than 4, but cooking oil and water shouldn’t count… right?

Anyway, this recipe is for those who prefer a clean and light broth for their kimchi jjigae, or for those who just couldn’t be bothered with too many steps.

Servings: 2-3
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 500g chopped napa cabbage kimchi (the more sour the better)

• 300g pork belly*

• 1 block firm tofu, sliced into flat squares

• 500ml (2 cups) water

• 1/2 cup of chopped scallion

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
  

  *Note: If you prefer less fat in your pork, feel free to use a different cut, like shoulder butt. And if you don’t eat pork, a can of tuna is a delicious altenative.

Instructions

1. Cut the pork into bite-sized strips.

2. Add oil to a pot, then stir-fry the pork until the surface is slightly browned. The pork doesn’t need to cook completely at this step.

3. Add the kimchi and stir-fry together for 2 minutes.

4. Add the water and pour in any leftover kimchi juice, then boil for at least 20 minutes. You can add water in increments to get the broth nice and concentrated. Taste as you go and adjust the amount of water to your liking.

5. Add the tofu and scallion, then boil for another minute before serving with rice. This is an unspoken rule, but kimchi jjigae and rice NEED fried eggs on the side!