Bubbling Kimchi Jjigae with Pork Belly and Silken Tofu

⏱ 45 min · Serves 4

The ultimate Korean comfort bowl: sour, well-fermented kimchi simmered with fatty pork belly until the broth turns deep red and glossy. Slide in soft tofu, scatter spring onions, and eat straight from the pot with a bowl of hot rice.

Per serving: 612 kcal · 29.0g protein · 14.0g carbs · 49.0g fat

Ingredients

• 400g pork belly, skin off, sliced 5mm thick
• 400g well-fermented (sour) napa cabbage kimchi, roughly chopped
• 120ml kimchi brine from the jar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 700ml water or anchovy/kelp stock
• 300g silken or soft tofu, cut into thick slabs
• 3 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Steamed short-grain rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat the neutral oil in a heavy pot or Korean earthenware pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly slices in a single layer and fry for 5-6 minutes until the fat renders and the edges are golden.
2. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Stir in the chopped kimchi and fry for 5 minutes, pressing it into the pork fat so it softens and deepens in colour — this step builds the flavour, don't rush it.
4. Add the gochugaru, gochujang, doenjang and sugar and stir for 1 minute until the paste coats everything.
5. Pour in the kimchi brine, soy sauce and water or stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, until the broth is red and the pork is tender.
6. Taste and adjust: more brine or soy for salt and sourness, a pinch of sugar if too sharp.
7. Gently nestle in the tofu slabs and simmer for 4-5 minutes without stirring, so they warm through but stay intact.
8. Turn off the heat, drizzle over the sesame oil, scatter the spring onions and sesame seeds, and bring the pot straight to the table with steamed rice.