Kimchi Chigae

I was looking back at some of my recipes and I realized that this one deserves a better photo than the previous one! So here’s an update on my version of kimchi chigae a.k.a. kimchi stew, adapted from Maangchi.

Kimchi Stew is a warm, spicy and a bubbling pot of kimchi goodness. It comes with a great combination of meat and vegetables so you can guarantee that it’s pretty healthy, although I wouldn’t recommend it eating everyday! It is absolutely normal to perspire profusely while eating this dish because that’s how it is!

As mentioned earlier, the recipe is an adaptation from Maangchi’s recipe and it is not at all difficult to follow.

*Just a word of caution, the ingredients might be a deviation from the ‘proper’ kimchi stew.

Ingredients:

• 500-600g of pork belly
• 4-5 stalks of spring onions
• 2 medium-sized onions, roughly chopped
• 4 heap tablespoons of kimchi
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of hot pepper paste (gochujang)
• 2 tablespoons, or more, hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 packet of enoki mushrooms

How?

• Prepare and clean the ingredients beforehand, that includes the stock.
• For my version of kimchi stew, I used a hotpot as it maintains the temperature.
• Arrange the ingredients in the hotpot in ANY way you like – plus points if you make it look photogenic.
• Pour the stock in and let it bubble away slowly.

Maangchi’s recipe calls for an anchovy stock to be made but I used a pork-based one, which is also very easy to make. It’s just 500g of pork ribs into a pot of boiling water and let it boil on high heat for about 10-15 minute before bringing it down to a simmer.

Like what Marco Pierre White said, “Cooking is a philosophy..” So do not be dictated by what the recipe says. If you want to make it spicier, add more red pepper powder. Cooking this dish in a hotpot makes it easier for everyone to share and it sort of becomes like a steamboat-style kimchi stew!