Kimchi Jjigae

• 400 gpork belly, cut into 3cm chunks
• 4garlic cloves, minced
• 600 mlpork or chicken stock
• 1onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbspgochugaru, Korean chilli flakes
• 1 tbspwhite miso paste
• 1 tbspvegetable oil
• 400 gwell-fermented kimchi, roughly chopped
• 2 tbspkimchi juice
• 300 gfirm tofu, cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 tspsesame oil
• Fine salt, to taste
• 600 gsteamed white rice, cooked (optional)
• 3spring onions, sliced (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1Pat the pork belly dry and season with black pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. 2Add the pork belly in a single layer; don't crowd the pot, work in two batches. Fry for 5–6 minutes, turning, until the fat has rendered and the edges are deeply browned and stuck to the base. Those brown bits are flavour; you want them.
3. 3Drop the heat to medium and add the sliced onion. Cook for 3 minutes, scraping the fond up off the base as the onion softens and releases its water.
4. 4Stir in the garlic and gochugaru and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant and the chilli has toasted pale red into the fat.
5. 5Add the chopped kimchi and kimchi juice. Stir-fry hard with the pork for 3 minutes until the kimchi softens, the edges start to caramelise, and the smell shifts from sharp and sour to deep and savoury.
6. 6Pour in the stock and dissolve the white miso. Bring to a gentle simmer, partly cover and cook for 45–60 minutes until the pork is tender. Stir occasionally and add a little hot water if the broth reduces too far before the meat softens.
7. 7Taste the broth before adding any salt: the kimchi, miso and stock already bring plenty. Add black pepper if needed.
8. 8Lower in the tofu cubes and simmer for a further 5 minutes, just to warm through and let them drink up the broth. Drizzle in the sesame oil and stir gently so the tofu stays intact.
9. 9Ladle into deep bowls and add the optional sliced spring onions if using. Serve the optional hot cooked rice alongside.

Per serving

kcal

731

protein

25.8g

fibre

5.1g

carbs

13.4g

fat

65.6g