Budae JIgae - Korean Army Stew - Korean Stew Recipe

Here is my Budae Jigae recipe (Army Stew)! It's a little spicy, but not too crazy. Budae Jigae was created during the Korean War when Ameican processed/canned foods were used to make stew with. You can try it with different canned foods but here is my recipe with ingredients that I like to use to make this dish.

Ingredients:
For the broth

- 1 medium yellow or sweet onion

- 3 cloves garlic

- 1 piece ginger ~3 inches

- 2 sheets dried kelp

- ¾ cups dried anchovies + a few extra

- 2.5 quartz water

- 2.5 lbs. country style pork ribs

-  little salt, pepper, corn starch or tapioca starch

- 4 VERY generous cups kimchi (fermented longer than usual)

- ¾ cup kimchi juice

- ½ tsp. salt

For the seasoning paste

- 8 cloves garlic

- 2 tbsp. hot pepper paste (gochujang)

- 1.5 tbsp. hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)

- 1 tsp. soy sauce

- ½ tbsp.. rice cooking wine

- ½ tsp. juice from fresh ginger

- 2 tbsp. hot kimchi broth

Additional

- 1 link Andouille Sausage

- 1 can Spam

- oil

- 1 bunch green onion

- 1 pack tofu (soft or medium firm)

- Korean glass noodles

- rice cake (ddeok) – not shown in video

Tools, etc:
1 large stockpot
1 medium/large stockpot

1. Broth Part I

In a medium-large stock pot, boil water. Add onion, garlic, ginger, kelp, and anchovies. Cover, keep it on a low boil for 30 mins.

2. Broth Part II

- Add lightly seasoned pork ribs. Cover, keep it on a low boil for 15-20 mins or until pork is just cooked.

- Note: if space is limited, remove onion—otherwise, keep onion until pork is removed later.

- After 15-20 mins, remove pork & cut into small bite-sized pieces—set aside for later. Remove & discard the kelp, anchovies, garlic, ginger, and onion—if onion was not removed earlier.

- Tip: to get the small pieces out, use a strainer.

- Tip: the onion is quite flavorful. If you want to eat it then save it.

3. Broth Part III

- Add 4 VERY generous cups of kimchi that’s been fermented longer than usual. By very generous, I seriously mean VERY generous (see pic below). By fermented longer than usual, I mean we brought the jar from the store and let it age (unopened) 6-7 days. Very important-- do not use fresh kimchi.

- Add 3/4 cups kimchi juice & 1/2 tsp. salt.

- Cover, slow boil 10 mins.

4. Make seasoning paste

In a small/medium bowl, add and thoroughly mix all ingredients listed above for the seasoning paste (minced garlic, hot pepper paste, hot pepper flakes, soy sauce, sugar, rice cooking wine, kimchi broth). Set aside.

5. Broth Part IV

- In a large stock pot with some oil, saute the Andouille Sausage and Spam on medium/high for 2 mins or until brown.
- Add the sliced pork.
- Add the seasoning paste. Saute for 30-60 secs.
- Add all the kimchi + kimchi broth from the other stock pot.
- Add the green onion.
- Turn off heat.
- If planning on eating the whole pot in one sitting, complete the next step in the same pot-- no need to transfer smaller portion to separate pot.

5. Broth Part V
- Transfer portion size to be eaten now to a smaller pot. Turn heat to high and add the following:
- Note: the below should only be added when ready to serve. Amount of each ingredient is contingent upon how much of it you want to eat now.
- Add tofu-- soft or medium firm.
- Add Korean rice cake-- ddeok.
- Add Korean glass noodles.
- Ready to serve when everything is hot.

Not sure how you feel about leftovers, but Budae Jigae is a dish that gets even more flavorful the next day, so I always make extra for leftovers!

Enjoy!

Watch a demo of the recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Seafood Boil – Crab Boil – Cajun Crab – Dungeness Crab

As promised, here is my recipe for crab boil! The broth is oh, soooo flavorful from the Cajun seasoning, the natural sweet and tasty crab, and the additional element of the Better Than Bullion. This recipe uses a shhhhh ton of garlic so yes, the broth is amazing! The Andouille Sausage, corn, and potatoes are the perfect complement to the seafood. Use real butter or use dairy-free butter for a dairy-free option! The ingredients for the seasoning are so versatile; I used this for my Shrimp and Clam Boil too!

Ingredients:

3.5 lbs. Dungeness crab (I used 2 for a total of 3.5 lbs.)

1 bulb garlic, minced (~12 cloves)

2 big red skin potatoes, cut into big cubes

1 big or 2 small ears of corn, cut in thirds or quarters

½ onion, skin peeled, ends cut, cut in half parallel to the ends (yellow onion or sweet onion)

2 small Andouille Sausages, sliced at a diagonal angle

2 ½ cups water

4 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 tbsp. peppercorn

3 bay leaves

4 tbsp. butter (or diary-free butter)

1 tbsp. sugar

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 orange, quartered

1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon (chicken) 

Special Tools & more:

Large stock pot

Cut onion in half parallel to the ends

Use non-dairy butter for dairy-free option!

1. Boil potatoes. Want them to be softer than before, but not tender. After 2-3 mins, add corn. Cook potatoes & corn for ~3 mins.

2. Sauté sliced sausages on medium/high for ~2-3 or until browned. 

3. Place large stock pot on the stove and turn heat on medium low. Add: water, Cajun seasoning, minced garlic, peppercorn, bay leaves, butter, salt, pepper, sugar, sliced oranges, and Better Than Bouillon.

4. Turn heat to high and mix the pot.

5. When water boils, add: corn, crab, sausages, and onion. Crab does not need to be on bottom layer of everything, but ½ of the crab should touch the water.

6. Cover pot and cook 10 mins. over a medium boil.

7. Add potatoes, mix, and cover pot. Cook additional 5-8 mins. (the crab I used has a very thin and soft shell. If the crab you’re using has a thicker shell, may need to cook longer). 

Enjoy!

Watch a demo of the recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Seafood Boil - Shrimp and Clam Boil

Here is my recipe for shrimp and clam boil! I love the flavorful broth created from the Cajun seasoning, the natural sweet and tasty seafood, and the additional element of the Better than Bouillon. This recipe uses a shhhhh ton of garlic so yes, the broth is amazing! The Andouille Sausage and the potatoes perfectly complement the seafood. Use real butter or use dairy-free butter for a dairy-free option!

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. shrimp, deveined (~21/25)

4 lbs. clams

2 ears of corn, cut in thirds or quarters

2 big red-skin potatoes, cut into big cubes

½ onion, skin peeled, ends cut, cut in half parallel to the ends (yellow onion or sweet onion)

1 bulb garlic, minced (~12 cloves)

2 small Andouille Sausages, sliced at a diagonal angle

4 tbsp. butter (or diary-free butter)

4 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 orange, quartered

1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon (chicken)

2 cups water

2-3 bay leaves

1 tbsp. peppercorn

1 tbsp. sugar

Salt & Pepper to taste

Special tools, etc:

Large oven-safe roasting pan

Cut onion in half parallel to the ends

Non-dairy butter-- yes!!!

1. Boil potatoes. Want them to be a little soft, but not tender. After 2-3 mins, add corn. Cook potatoes & corn for ~3 mins.

2. Sauté sliced sausages on medium/high for ~2-3 or until browned.  

3. Pre-heat oven to 430 degrees on broil.

* Not necessary, but useful: place roasting pan on top of stove for next few steps so the heat from the oven warms up the pan a little.

4. Place the following into the roasting pan: butter, browned sausages, shrimp, minced garlic, Better than Bouillon (tip: first mix it with a couple tbsp. of hot water from the potatoes to help dissolve), corn, bay leaves, peppercorn, Cajun seasoning, sliced orange, sugar, salt & pepper to taste, water, and the half-onion.

5. Mix everything together to evenly coat everything.

6. Cook in oven for 10 mins. Can add potatoes now rather than later, if potatoes are not too tender or well done.

7. After the 10 mins, potatoes and clam. Carefully mix.

8. Cook for additional ~12 mins or until shrimp & clam are cooked, and potatoes and corn are tender.

Enjoy!

Watch a demo of the recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

How to Cook Oysters- In the Oven

What do you do when oysters are $0.58 each at your local grocery store?

You eat them on the weekly, of course!

I grew up on New England seafood and I LOVE seafood. I can't get NE seafood in Utah, so when fresh seafood is available and at a reasonable price here, I don't let them swim away :)

Here is how I prep, cook, and eat oysters in the shell. Don't be intimidated by the shell; you don't need anything you don't already have in your kitchen to prep/cook/open/eat them. It's super easy! My recipe for cooking oysters in the oven:

Ingredients & tools:

- oysters in shell (as many as you can eat!)

- oven-safe pans/sheets

- toothbrush (recommended)

- aluminum foil (optional)
- metal fork/butter knife or oyster shucking knife (http://amzn.to/2jRIPiC) * Amazon affliate link

- salt, pepper, lime, hot sauce (all optional)

1. Preheat oven

425 degrees on broil

2. Wash & scrub the oysters

Wash in water. Using a toothbrush, scrub oysters individually under water/running water to remove as much sand as possible. The more sand you remove, the less sand there will be when you open and eat them. So, scrub, scrub, scrub away.

3. Place oysters in oven-safe pan/cookie sheet(s)

My preference: cookie sheets. Tip: line cookie sheets with aluminum foil to make the aftermath easier to clean. Important: place each oyster down strategically to retain as much juice as possible. Think of oyster as a bowl filled with water. Place right-side up to keep water in; place upside down and water spills out.

4. Cook oysters 7-12 mins

If cooking with two cookie sheets, place side-by-side in oven (if possible) to ensure even cooking. Cooking time depends on how big oysters are, number of oysters, placement in oven (longer if using both racks in the oven-- add 5+ mins), and your preference for how well done you like them.

5. Open oysters
The heat naturally separates the two shells when oysters are cooked. Look for a crack between the two shells, stick oyster shucking knife (or metal butter knife/fork), and pry open. Careful not to tilt too much so the juice is retained. Some open effortlessly while some are a bit stubborn. Since they're so hot, use a paper towel to handle. Oyster shucking knife I have: http://amzn.to/2jRIPiC

6. Season/dip, and devour
My absolute fave sauce for seafood: salt, pepper, and lime. My friend introduced me to pairing hot sauce with oysters-- I'm a fan. He uses Tabasco but we are Tapatio lovers so we always have some on hand.

Watch a demo of this recipe on my YouTube channel and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

Note: Amazon links are affiliate links.

♥ Yen