김치찌개 Kimchi Stew

Learn essential Korean verbs and nouns by cooking the quintessential Korean comfort food, Kimchi Jjigae. This hearty stew is a perfect introduction to Korean culinary culture and basic sentence structures.

Ingredients

• Aged Kimchi 잘 익은 김치 (jal igeun kimchi)
  2 cups The sourness is key
  Sub: Fresh kimchi mixed with 1 tsp vinegar
• Pork Belly 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal)
  150 grams Adds richness to the broth
  Sub: Canned tuna or spam
• Tofu 두부 (dubu)
  0.5 block Cut into 1-inch cubes
  Sub: Firm tofu
• Onion 양파 (yangpa)
  0.5 piece Sliced thin
  Sub: Leeks
• Green Onion 대파 (daepa)
  1 stalk Adds fresh finish
  Sub: Scallions
• Water 물 (mul)
  3 cups Rice water works best for thickness
  Sub: Anchovy or kelp stock

How to Make It

1. 1

   Cut the aged kimchi into bite-sized pieces using scissors or a knife.

   🇰🇷 Korean 썰다 (to cut/slice) -어/아서 indicates a sequence of actions.
2. 2

   Sauté the pork belly and kimchi in a pot with sesame oil until the pork is cooked.

   🇰🇷 Korean 볶다 (to stir-fry/sauté) -까지 means 'until'.
3. 3

   Pour the water or anchovy stock into the pot and bring it to a boil.

   🇰🇷 Korean 끓이다 (to boil) -을/를 marks the object of the verb.
4. 4

   Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

   🇰🇷 Korean 중불로 줄이다 (reduce to medium heat) -로 indicates the method or means.
5. 5

   Add the tofu and green onions, then turn off the heat.

   🇰🇷 Korean 넣다 (to put in/add) -고 connects two sequential actions.

Tips & Tricks

• ✦ Always use 'well-fermented' (sour) kimchi for the best taste.
• ✦ Do not rinse the kimchi; the seasoning is the base of your broth.
• ✦ Add a teaspoon of sugar if your kimchi is too sour to balance the acidity.