Kimchi Recipe: Kimchi Jigae Dakgogi A Hot Kimchi Recipe

Kimchi Recipe

[caption id="attachment_1885" align="alignleft" width="300"] Kimchi Recipe: Kimchi Jigae - Click To Enlarge[/caption]

This week it started getting colder  here in the high desert of Las Vegas, NV where I live. I had told myself months back that I was going to concentrate on making soup recipes for the winter months because I  myself as so many of us love to eat soups in the cold winter months. I thought to myself what kind of soup did I want to make for you my valued readers this week. My mind began drifting off back to when I was in college and my room mate Suk Yi who taught me how to make kimchi and other Korean dishes and then I remembered that he had taught me how to make Kimchi Jjigae, a great Kimchi Recipe. This Kimchi Recipe is a stew by nature but depending on the consistency of the liquid in the dish it can also be considered a soup. Kimchi Jjigae is served hot and if there is any stew/soup that I know of that can warm your cockles it is this Kimchi Recipe!

Kimchi Jjigae is a Kimchi Recipe cooked in homes all over Korea! Generally speaking this Kimchi Recipe uses older kimchi that has fermented for a longer period of time and is a bit more sour and thus it creates a much more pungent aroma and a stronger flavor as well. There is also the added benefit of quality good bacteria that comes from the fermented Kimchi Recipe. It is basically recognized that fresh kimchi will not impart the flavor that older kimchi will in this Kimchi Recipe.

Traditionally this Kimchi Recipe is made by putting sliced kimchi into an earthenware or crock type of pot with pork belly or beef and in some cases seafood like tuna which is called Chamchi Chigae. Other ingredients are added to this Kimchi Recipe such as garlic, onions and tofu and is cooked in water or some type of stock then the addition of doenjang which is Korean soybean paste and Gochujang which is Korean chili paste is added to create a fiery and satisfying soup/stew. As with so many dishes in the Korean culture kimchi jjigae is a Kimchi Recipe that is eaten in a communal manner at the table and the kimchi jjigae is also accompanied by many side dishes or "banchan" and of course rice!

So this week I decided to make another Kimchi Recipe and that recipe is Kimchi Jjigae Dakgogi. Dakgogi is the Korean word for chicken and I decided that this would be my version of what I call Korean chicken soup for the soul because it's so warm and comforting and delicious! I used chicken stock instead of just plain water to help bring out the flavors of this Kimchi Recipe. Please enjoy the video and the recipe will be right below! Eat and enjoy!

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Ingredients:
A large saucepot or Korean crockpot for making the Kimchi Recipe.
2 Cups kimchi. The older the better.
1 Lbs. Chicken meat either boneless leg meat or thigh meat cut into medium or large sized chunks as preference.
1 Cup kimchi liquid.
2 Cups Chicken stock.
2 Tbsp. Sesame oil.
2 Tbps. Soy sauce.
2 Scallions rough/fine chop. Personal preference.
1 Red chili pepper thinly sliced.
4 Shitake mushrooms.
1/2 to 1 small yellow onion either slivered or medium diced.
4 to 6 cloves of garlic minced.
1 to 2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger.
1 Tbsp. Mirin.
2 Tbsp. coarse ground Korean chili pepper.(Gochugaru)
2 Tbsp. Korean chili paste.(Gochujang)
2-3 Tbsp. Korean soybean paste.(Doenjang)
2-3 Slabs firm or soft tofu cubed.
1-2 Tbsp. cooking oil.
Optional: Some type of Asian noodle such as Udon, Somen, Soba, Mung bean thread, Jajangmyeon, or regular spaghetti all will work just fine. I used regular spaghetti in my dish.

Method:
1. If your kimchi is in big pieces then cut it up into more manageable bite sized pieces.
2. Have a cup of the kimchi juice set aside for this Kimchi Recipe.
3. Make sure your tofu is rinsed and cubed.
4. Mince your garlic and set aside.
5. Slice or dice your yellow onion and set aside.
6. Now put chicken meat in saucepot or crock pot and brown it up in your cooking oil this takes 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Then add your minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add your kimchi and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the kimchi softens then add your kimchi liquid.
9. Once the kimchi softens it's time to add your chicken stock, the chili paste(Gochujang) and chili flakes(Gochugaru) and your shitake mushrooms.

10. Add your soy sauce now cook 1 to 2 minutes.
11. Add your Korean soybean paste as in the video stir and cook for 1 minute.
12. Add your minced ginger now and cook for 1 minute.
13. Add your tofu cubes and bring to a boil for 3 minutes.
14. Add your sliced red chili pepper if you desire.
15. Add your sliced scallions now and cook for 1 minute.
16. Add your sesame oil.
17. Add your Mirin.
18. Allow this Kimchi Recipe to cook on simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
19. In a bowl of your choice put the noodle of your choice at the bottom.
20. Now ladle your delicious Kimchi Jjigae into the bowl and enjoy!

[caption id="attachment_1892" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Kimchi Recipe - Click To Enlarge[/caption]