Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Soup)

You don't need all these other ingredients, most of which should have been incorporated in quality kimchee. What is most important in this recipe is kimchee. Kimchee is not a "pickle." It is a fermented dish and this fermentation is key to great kimchee. Get "real" kimchee that has been fermented for a while, like 6 mo. to a year. You won't need fish sauce or gochujang (it renders the soup opaque, dull). Good kimcheechigae can be quite clear but full of flavor.

Real kimchi jigae does not require butter and fish sauce. Use vegetable oil to cook pork, or beef without marinating. Use salt if needed, not fish sauce. No need to add 1 cup of juice. Kimchi, lifted out of jar, has enough. Jigae should not be soupy. Also add whatever vegetable you have, such as zucchini (my favorate) or red bell pepper. Traditionally, you don't add gochugang. Adding gochugaru should be enough. You can also put firm tofu and cook a few minutes.

As a Korean person who grew up with a phenomenal chef for a mom (who also happens to own a Korean restaurant), I can say that this recipe is surprisingly very very good. On days where you want to go a bit lighter, I would suggest using tuna, or my personal favorite, canned mackerel, in lieu of the pork :)

I make this regularly. I don't usually use fish sauce, butter or ginger, nor do I marinate the pork ahead of time. Sometimes I use less liquid and throw in old cooked rice, along with some veggies for a one-pot supper (spinach, zucchini, baby bok choy - anything that will cook quickly). It comes together quickly and is really tasty!

We make kimchi and stock pretty often, so this was a no brainer. The recipe is amazing as written, but we've tried several variations. Our favorite is to poach eggs in the finished soup and serve one in each bowl. Or add noodles or mushrooms. Or chunks of leftover pot roast or pork.

Kimchi Jjiggae taste best using dried anchovies, rather than pork. Also, please, no butter or grated ginger. I'm not sure why dairy is being sneaked into Korean cuisine recently: cheese, cream, butter. The obsession and trend of adding dairy is beyond me.

In case you do not like pork, one can use some
seafood mix, like mussels, clams and squids.
Start cooking from no2 on . You will like it, too

This could be a lot simpler. Different versions abound, but basically I cook up the meat with a tiny bit of oil (Spam is a great substitute!) then add some sliced onion for a minute or two, then add 2 cups of chopped OLD AND WELL FERMENTED kimchi for a couple minutes, then add kimchi juice, water, spring onions, cubed zucchini, semi firm tofu, gojujaro, and some gojuchang paste. A gentle rolling boil for 10 - 15 minutes until kimchi is tender. Serve with rice. Yes, I did write Spam!

I always have bacon in the house, but seldom have pork belly. As it turns out, bacon in delicious in this! I generally add chopped potatoes and whatever vegetable(s) happen to be abundant in the garden (zucchini, kohlrabi, kale). Served with rice, it is an excellent easy dinner and truly international comfort food that is prepared from available pantry items.

"Jigae" is more of a stew than soup. If you go to a Korean restaurant "guk" & "tahng" are soups. "Tahng" broths are thicker than "guk". The key for this stew is well fermented kimchi. You cannot use freshly made kimchi. At least 2-weeks old kimchi will work, but the more fermented the better if you like sour flavor. Typically this is made when you are down to the last of your jar. We never use butter, soy sauce or fish sauce. Add dried anchovies to the pot instead.

I am Korean-American. I like to top hot Korean stews with fresh greens like my mother did - first choice edible chrysanthemum leaves, second choice watercress. The greens add herbaceous, bitter flavor, nutrition, and serves as garnish.

A Korean friend looked at this and said "Stop with the butter for cryin' out loud". She had no further comments.

This soup was incredible! We had some just OK kimchi in the fridge to use up and it was perfect! I used pork shoulder instead and trimmed all the fat off, added a few stalks of shopped celery, some seasoned soybean paste (sunchang ssamjang) a bit of extra soy and fish sauce as I like a bit more salty and it was soooo good! Had three bowls for dinner! Definitely recommend it!

Here's a historical and geographical perspective on kimchi-like soup and its use around the world.

My mother, who came from Belarus in the early 1930's, but had spent some 10 years between 1910 & 1920 as a young child refugee in Central Asia, used to make sauerkraut at home. With that she would prepare a "borscht" using boiled pork spareribs and resultant stock as a base with potatoes and carrots.

I'll have to try this kimchi recipe to see what memories it evokes.

Since kimchee is so overpowering, this is not a dish with nuances of this or hint of that. So, relax and don;t worry about following the recipe closely. Pork belly is not a everyday grocery store item. I would skip it and it would save many steps. I use breakfast sausage patty. If I don;t have it, I use spam. Sometimes I use both. However, one thing is very important. Only use old kimchee, one that is soft and not that good for eating as is.