Pork Kimchi Stew: Baek Jong-won’s 7-Minute Recipe
Deep and Savory Pork Kimchi Stew in Just 7 Minutes (Baek Jong-won Style)
A beloved Korean soul food that never gets old: Pork Kimchi Stew! Here’s Baek Jong-won’s 7-minute recipe, inspired by a popular menu item from Saemaul Restaurant. The secret is using rice water to create a rich and deep broth. Make a fantastic kimchi stew in a flash!
Stew Ingredients- 300g well-fermented kimchi (aged or sour kimchi)
- 300g pork (stew meat; front leg, neck, or belly are good choices)
- 400ml rice water (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 small onion
- 1 handful green onions
Stew Seasoning- 1 heaping tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or Korean soup soy sauce)
- 0.5 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 heaping tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or Korean soup soy sauce)
- 0.5 tablespoon minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
For the pork, choose your preferred cut for stew, such as front leg, neck, or belly. Pork with a moderate amount of fat will make the broth richer and more flavorful.
Step 2
If using pork belly, cut it into bite-sized pieces, about 2-3 cm. Cut other cuts into similar sizes.
Step 3
It’s best to use well-fermented sour kimchi or aged kimchi for this stew. Including the kimchi juice will add even more depth of flavor. Cut the kimchi into bite-sized pieces as well.
Step 4
Thinly slice half a small onion or chop it finely. Onions add sweetness and a refreshing quality to the broth.
Step 5
Now, place the cut pork and 400ml of rice water (about 2 standard cups) into a pot. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil.
Step 6
The key to Baek Jong-won’s 7-minute kimchi stew is to add the pork to cold rice water from the start and simmer it. This allows the pork’s savory flavors and fat to fully infuse into the rice water, creating a much deeper and richer broth.
Step 7
Once the pork fat has nicely rendered into the broth, add the chopped kimchi. Then, add 1 heaping tablespoon of gochugaru, 0.5 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce (or soup soy sauce) for seasoning.
Step 8
Add the sliced onion and stir everything together. Now, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-high, and let it simmer for exactly 7 minutes. This is where the ‘7-minute kimchi stew’ name originates!
Step 9
After simmering for 7 minutes with a timer, you’ll notice a wonderfully rich and appetizing broth, much deeper than if you had just used plain water. You can already sense the delicious combination of pork fat and kimchi.
Step 10
Finally, garnish generously with chopped green onions. Your Baek Jong-won 7-minute Pork Kimchi Stew is complete! It’s spicy, tangy, refreshing, and hearty – truly delicious. Serve it over hot rice, perhaps with a fried egg and some shredded seaweed on top for an extra flavorful meal!
