Budae jjigae
Kimchi, SPAM, sausages and tofu boiled in a spicy broth with ramyeon on top: a stew born near U.S. Army bases after the Korean War and made for sharing. In Let's Eat, Soo-kyung picks it the moment her boss lets her choose lunch. About 30 minutes for four.
- Time
- 30 min
- Level
- Easy
- Spice
- Serves
- 4 servings
What is Budae jjigae?
WHAT IT IS
Budae jjigae is a spicy kimchi and gochujang stew built around American processed meats such as ham, sausages and SPAM, with tofu and usually instant noodles, simmered at the table in one shared pot.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
After the Korean War (1950–53), when food was scarce, people living near U.S. Army bases in towns such as Uijeongbu, Songtan and Dongducheon cooked ham and sausages from the bases with kimchi and gochujang; it was also nicknamed Johnson-tang, after U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. In Uijeongbu, Heo Gi-suk began selling it from a street stall in 1960, and her Odeng Sikdang still anchors the city's Budae-jjigae Street. Ramyeon went into the pot later: Korea's first instant noodles only appeared in 1963 and were expensive at first.
Sources:Encyclopedia of Korean CultureEncyclopedia of Korean Folk CultureThe Korea Times
Ingredients
재료Each Korean item has a substitute, in case you can’t get to a store.
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- 2 cups, choppedNapa cabbage kimchi 김치
Substitute: Aged, well-fermented kimchi is best, My Korean Kitchen says.
Search on Amazon Amazon US - 4–7 oz (115–200 g)SPAM (canned luncheon meat) 스팸
SPAM Classic · 12 oz can
Substitute: Korean Bapsang uses about a third of a 12 oz can, My Korean Kitchen about 200 g. Slice it thin.
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 2 hot dogs or 4 cocktail franks (about 150 g)Hot dogs or sausages 소시지
Substitute: Slice them on the diagonal. My Korean Kitchen uses cocktail frankfurters.
Any grocer - 3 strips (optional)Bacon, or about 3 oz (85 g) fatty pork 베이컨Any grocer
- 4–8 oz (115–225 g)Tofu, sliced about ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick 두부Any grocer
- ½ onion, 3–4 mushrooms, 2 scallionsOnion, mushrooms and scallions 양파·버섯·파Any grocer
- 4 cups (1 L), plus more as neededAnchovy broth 멸치 육수
Substitute: Make it with broth tablets as the pack directs. Chicken or beef stock works too, and Korean Bapsang says even water will do.
Search on Amazon Amazon US - 1 block (about 110 g)Instant ramyeon noodles 라면 사리
Ottogi Plain Instant Noodle (ramyeon sari, noodles only) · 110 g × 16
Substitute: The pack we link to is plain noodles made for stews and hot pot, with no soup packet. One block from any instant ramyeon, such as Shin Ramyun, works the same.
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - A handful, about 2 oz (50 g) (optional)Korean rice cakes, sliced or sticks 떡Search on Amazon Amazon US
- 1–2 slicesAmerican cheese 슬라이스 치즈Any grocer
- 1–2 tbspGochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 고춧가루
Taekyung Red Pepper Powder · 1 lb
Substitute: Korean Bapsang uses 1 tbsp, My Korean Kitchen 2. Start with 1 and add more for a spicier pot.
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 1 tsp–½ tbspGochujang (Korean chili paste) 고추장
CJ Haechandle Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste) · 500 g
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 1 tbspSoy sauce 간장
Sempio Korean Soy Sauce, Rich and Delicate · 860 ml
Substitute: Korean Bapsang uses Korean soup soy sauce (or salt). Regular soy sauce works; taste at the end and adjust.
Check price on Amazon Amazon US - 1 tbspGarlic, minced 다진 마늘Any grocer
-
- Optional, for My Korean Kitchen's slightly sweeter seasoning: ½ tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp mirin and a few pinches of black pepperIn your pantry
Method
만드는 법Sources we compared:Korean BapsangMy Korean Kitchen
- 1
Mix the seasoning
Stir together 1–2 tbsp gochugaru, 1 tsp–½ tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp minced garlic with 1–2 tbsp of the broth. For a slightly sweeter version, add ½ tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp mirin and a little black pepper.
- 2
Slice and arrange in a shallow pot
Slice the SPAM, sausages, bacon, tofu, onion and mushrooms into bite-size pieces and cut the scallions into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths. Arrange the kimchi, meats, tofu, onion and mushrooms side by side in a wide, shallow pot, keeping the noodles, rice cakes, scallions and cheese aside. Spoon the seasoning into the middle.
- 3
Add the broth and boil
Pour 4 cups (1 L) of broth in at the side of the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, about 8 minutes. Stir in the seasoning and keep boiling until the bacon is cooked through and the kimchi has softened.
- 4
Add the noodles, rice cakes and cheese
Put the noodles, rice cakes and scallions on top, lay the cheese over them and boil uncovered for 2–3 minutes, until the noodles are just cooked. Add more broth or water if it gets too thick.
Noodles soak up a lot of broth. Korean Bapsang boils them briefly in a separate pot of water first, then adds them to the stew.
- 5
Serve at the table
Turn the heat to low and bring the pot to the table. Everyone ladles broth, meat, noodles and vegetables into their own bowl and eats with steamed rice.
Korean Bapsang keeps the pot bubbling on a portable burner at the table and adds more ingredients as people eat. In Let's Eat, Soo-kyung orders hers with a serving of ramyeon and one of udon.
Say it in Korean
한국어로 말해 보세요For a budae jjigae restaurant, where the pot boils at your table.
Cookware you’ll need
조리 도구Any wide, shallow pot with a lid works, and a portable burner lets you keep it boiling at the table. This is the 5-quart sauté pan with lid we link to.
