Kimchi Soondubu Jjigae Food

KIMCHI SOONDUBU JJIGAE

Steps:

• Cut the meat and kimchi into small thin strips. Add the kimchi, meat, red chili pepper flakes, garlic and sesame oil to a small pot, and place it over medium heat.
• Stir-fry until the meat is almost cooked, 3 - 4 minutes.
• Pour in water (or broth) and the juice from the kimchi. Bring it to a boil, and continue to boil for 3 - 4 minutes. Skim off the scum.
• Add the soft tofu in big chunks. Stir in the salted shrimp or salt to taste (start with 1/4 teaspoon) and black pepper. Cook for 4 -5 minutes. Add the chopped scallion just before removing the pot from the heat. If desired, crack an egg into the stew to serve while it's still boiling hot.

KIMCHI SOONDUBU JJIGAE

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, combine kelp and 6 cups of water, and bring to a simmer over high. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Discard or reserve kelp for another use. Transfer broth to a large bowl and reserve.
• In the empty Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 3 minutes. Add scallions, garlic, gochugaru and remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and cook, stirring, until well combined and very fragrant, 1 minute. Add kimchi and cook, stirring, until the bottom of pot looks dry, about 2 minutes. Add reserved kelp broth, kimchi juice, soy sauce and zucchini, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until zucchini and kimchi are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in tofu and cook until warmed through, 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• If using eggs, crack them into the pot, leaving some space in between each egg. Cover and poach over medium-low until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.
• Divide jjigae between 4 bowls and garnish each with scallions. Serve hot with rice on the side.

KIMCHI JJIGAE (KOREAN KIMCHI SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut up vegetables, kimchi and tofu and set aside.
• Rinse meat, cut into thin strips 1-2" long.
• Marinate meat in rice wine with two pinches black pepper for 15 minutes (you can use your stew pot for this).
• Meanwhile, add vegetable oil to pan or wok and cook kimchi on medium-high until done (usually 5-7 minutes). Stir consistently. Kimchi will turn slightly translucent.
• In a separate bowl, combine soup base ingredients and mash together.
• Add vegetables, kimchi, soup base and water to the pot with the meat, leaving out the tofu. Use kimchi juice as part of the water if extracted.
• Bring to a boil; leave on a rolling boil until meat is cooked or about 5 minutes, being careful not to let water boil away.
• Taste soup for adjustments; add water as needed, or make extra soup base if needed.
• As soon as the meat is done, turn the heat down to low, add the tofu slices.
• Stir gently, serve with rice (your mouth will be hot -- I like to use rice that is room-temp!).