Baek Jong-won's Ham Kimchi Jjigae

Name: Baek Jong-won's Ham Kimchi Jjigae
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 3 cups kimchi; 1 can canned ham; 1/4 onion; 1 green onion; 1/2 block tofu; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp soup soy sauce; 2 tbsp red pepper flakes; 1 tbsp salted shrimp (or fish sauce); 1-2 tbsp vinegar; 3 cups water; Pinch of sugar (optional)

A super simple ham kimchi jjigae that uses canned ham instead of pork to create a savory oil, and replicates the restaurant taste with vinegar even without aged kimchi.

Recommended for

Those who want to make a deep and rich kimchi jjigae using only canned ham without pork.
Those who have been struggling to make a proper kimchi jjigae because they don't have aged kimchi at home.
Those who want to easily replicate the unique savory flavor and sourness of restaurant-style kimchi jjigae at home.

20 min Difficulty Easy Soups & stews

Main ingredients

KimchiHamTofuOnionGreen onionVinegar

Ingredients needed 3 servings

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Baek Jong-won's Super Simple Kimchi Jjigae

Boil pork in rice washing water first to melt the fat, then enhance depth of flavor with fermented kimchi and shrimp paste for this super simple kimchi jjigae summary

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3 cups kimchi

1 can canned ham

1/4 onion

1 green onion

1/2 block tofu

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp soup soy sauce

2 tbsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp salted shrimp (or fish sauce)

1-2 tbsp vinegar

3 cups water

Pinch of sugar (optional)

Recipe

Slice half of the canned ham into bite-sized pieces, and mash the other half with the back of a knife or in a plastic bag to fully break it down so its flavor can infuse into the broth.
Slice the onion thinly, diagonally slice the green onion, and cut the tofu into thick, bite-sized pieces.
In a pot, without adding any extra oil, add the prepared ham (both sliced and mashed) and stir-fry over low heat until golden brown to render the savory fat.
When the ham turns brown and starts to lightly stick to the bottom of the pot, add 3 cups of kimchi and stir-fry together over medium heat until the kimchi softens.
Once the kimchi is tender, pour in 3 cups of water, add the sliced onion, and bring to a boil over high heat.
When the stew boils, add 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp soup soy sauce, 2 tbsp red pepper flakes, and 1 tbsp salted shrimp (or fish sauce) to adjust the overall seasoning and color.
Add the prepared green onion and tofu, and finish by drizzling 1-2 tbsp of vinegar and simmering for another moment.

Slice some of the canned ham and mash the rest. Fry them in a pot without oil until golden brown to extract the fat.
Add kimchi to the fried ham and stir-fry, then add water and onion and boil.
Season with garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and salted shrimp. Finish with tofu, green onion, and vinegar.

Cooking tips

Using a highly salted canned ham like Spam is recommended for the unique savory and salty flavor to permeate the entire stew.
The brown marks that form on the bottom of the pot when frying the ham are not burnt but are flavor components; they will naturally dissolve when water is added, deepening the broth's taste.
Adding 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar at the end is a key tip to perfectly mimic the deep sourness of aged kimchi, especially when using less-fermented kimchi or aiming for a restaurant-style taste.
Conversely, if the kimchi is too sour and has a stale smell, adding about half a tablespoon of sugar will soften the flavor.

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