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