Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Korean Budae Jjigae
韓式部隊鍋
Recipe overview
Korean Budae Jjigae. Follow the 12 steps in order, keep pieces even, and serve promptly or chill safely.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tin, about 340 grams, sliced 8–10 millimetres; inspect after opening Luncheon meat —
- 4, about 240 grams, sliced diagonally into 2-centimetre pieces; check heating instructions Pre-cooked sausages —
- 300 grams plus 60 millilitres juice Korean kimchi —
- 300 grams, drained and sliced 1.5 centimetres thick Firm tofu —
- 250 grams, soak or thaw as directed Korean rice cakes (tteok) —
- 2 cakes, about 220 grams; use noodles only, not the seasoning packets Instant ramen noodles —
- 1, about 180 grams, thin half-moons Onion —
- 150 grams, roots removed Enoki —
- 3, 3-centimetre pieces Scallions —
- 4 cloves, about 16 grams, minced Garlic —
- 2, for the end Processed cheese slices —
- 1.2 litres Unsalted chicken or anchovy-kelp stock —
Kimchi stir-fry
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil (For onion and kimchi only.)
Budae Jjigae spicy sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Reduce to 1 tablespoon for mild heat; check soy, wheat and sodium.)
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Reduce for family heat preference.)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (Check soy, wheat and sodium.)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (Balances kimchi; do not make a sweet broth.)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Final flavour adjustment
- up to 1 teaspoon gochujang (Add only after tasting.)
- up to 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (Use only if the broth is weak after simmering.)
02
Tools
- Large shallow Korean stew pot or deep sauté pan with lid
- wooden spoon
- ladle
- silicone spatula
- tongs
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- three small bowls
- measuring cup
- knife
- vegetable and cooked-food cutting board
- tablespoon
- teaspoon
- chopsticks
- kitchen scissors
- kitchen paper
- oven mitts and four white soup bowls.
- oven mitts
03
Steps
Step 1
Inspect and cut processed meats
Check luncheon meat for off smell, slime or unusual colour; slice 8–10 millimetres. Check sausage heating directions, cut 2-centimetre diagonal pieces and refrigerate.
Step 2
Prepare tofu, rice cakes and vegetables
Drain and slice tofu; soak or thaw rice cakes as labelled and drain. Slice onion, trim enoki, cut scallions and keep separate.
Step 3
Premix the spicy sauce
Stir gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, pepper, garlic and 3 tablespoons stock until smooth.
Step 4
Stir-fry onion and kimchi
Heat oil over medium heat; cook onion 2 minutes, then kimchi 2–3 minutes until fragrant, never dry or burnt.
Step 5
Add kimchi juice and sauce
Toss in kimchi juice and premixed sauce for 30 seconds without cooking dry.
Step 6
Arrange ingredients
Lower heat and place luncheon meat, sausages, tofu, rice cakes and enoki in separate zones; do not add ramen or cheese.
Step 7
Add stock and simmer
Pour in 1.2 litres stock around the edge, bring to a boil, then maintain a gentle medium simmer with flowing broth.
Step 8
Heat rice cakes and meats first
Simmer 5–7 minutes until rice cakes soften and meats are thoroughly hot; gently push the bottom without breaking tofu.
Step 9
Check rice cakes and broth
They should be soft through yet intact and springy. Add only hot stock if liquid drops too low.
Step 10
Add ramen last
Press two noodle cakes into broth; after 2 minutes turn or loosen, then cook 1–2 minutes until just tender. Do not use noodle seasoning packets.
Step 11
Add cheese and scallions
Lay two cheese slices over noodles and add scallions; cover 30–60 seconds so cheese softens locally, not into the whole broth.
Step 12
Taste and serve immediately
Adjust with limited gochujang or soy only after tasting. Serve all ingredients hot in clear zones with red-orange flowing broth.
Common mistakes
- Do not skip ingredient checks or doneness checks, and never mix raw and cooked food tools.
Tips
Do not skip ingredient checks or doneness checks, and never mix raw and cooked food tools.
