Budae jjigae
부대찌개: 'army stew' of sausages, luncheon meat, kimchi, ramyeon noodles and melting cheese
Budae jjigae grew up in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul, in the hard years after the Korean War, when surplus tinned meat and sausages from the nearby US army base were cooked with kimchi and chilli. The town still has a whole street of restaurants serving it. It is a sharing dish: a wide pan goes on a gas burner in the middle of the table, and friends fish out sausages and noodles as it bubbles. Chef's tip: arrange everything in neat piles in the pan before the stock goes in, so each person can see what they are reaching for.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the sauce
For the pot
To add at the table
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 2 tbsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru), 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sugar and ¼ tsp black pepper in a small bowl to a thick paste.
Step 2: Arrange 5 ½ oz napa cabbage kimchi, ½ onion, 7 oz luncheon meat, 4 frankfurter sausages, 5 ½ oz firm tofu and 3 ½ oz enoki mushrooms in separate piles around a wide, shallow pan or casserole. Spoon 3 tbsp baked beans into one corner and put the sauce paste in the middle.
5 minStep 3: Pour 3 ¼ cups chicken or anchovy stock gently down the side of the pan so the piles stay in place. Bring to the boil over a high heat.
4 minStep 4: Turn down to a strong simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring the sauce into the broth, until the sausages and luncheon meat are piping hot all the way through and the kimchi has softened.
5 minStep 5: Add 1 block instant ramyeon noodles and 3 spring onions and simmer for 3 minutes, pulling the noodles apart with chopsticks as they soften. Common mistake: putting the noodles in at the start. They drink up the broth and turn mushy; add them only when everyone is ready to eat.
3 minStep 6: Lay 1 slice processed cheese on top of the noodles, let it melt for 30 seconds, then serve straight from the pan. Keep the pan simmering and top up with a little stock or water if it gets too thick.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does budae jjigae take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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