Kimchi jjigae with tofu and pork
40 min · 27 g protein · 211 cals / serving
Korea's everyday stew: well-fermented kimchi fried with pork and garlic until it turns sweet and sour, then simmered into a deep red, tangy, spicy broth with big spoonfuls of soft tofu, onion and scallions. It comes to the table bubbling, with a small bowl of rice on the side to calm the heat.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2/3 lb pork loin fillet, raw, thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 cups kimchi, well fermented and sour, chopped, with its juice
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes, Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) if you have them
- 1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3 3/4 cups water, or rice-rinsing water
- 1 tsp dashi granules, or anchovy stock in place of the water
- 14 oz soft tofu, in large slices
- 4 green onions, in 3 cm (1-inch) lengths
Steps
- Heat the sesame oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork and stir-fry 2 minutes until it loses its pink, then add the kimchi, onion and garlic and fry 5 minutes, stirring, until the kimchi softens and smells sweet.
- Stir in the gochujang, chili flakes and soy, then pour in the water and dashi granules. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes so the kimchi gives its sourness to the broth.
- Slide in the tofu and scallions, spoon broth over them and simmer 3–4 minutes more. Taste: add a pinch of sugar if the kimchi is very sour, or salt if needed. Serve bubbling, with rice on the side.
Good to know
My kimchi is fresh, not sour. Does it matter?
Old, sour kimchi is what makes the stew. With young kimchi, add 1–2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and simmer 5 minutes longer.
Which pork is traditional?
Pork belly or shoulder; with belly it is much richer, at about 72 instead of 93. Lean loin keeps it lighter; slice it thin and do not overcook it. Canned tuna is a popular swap, added with the tofu.
Alternative
Can't fill you up alone — pair it with protein.
Per
- Calories
- 38
- Protein
- (51%)
- 5 g
- Fat
- (30%)
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- (19%)
- 2 g
- of which sugar
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 187 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 844 kcal goes into the pot and 2346 g of ingredients comes out as about 2230 g of food: 38 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.