This has been my go-to kimchi jjigage recipe for more than 10 years. (Tammy Quackenbush photo)
Northern Californian winters are all about cold dampness — rain, lots of rain. For me, the only purpose for winter is to get the full benefit of a hot bowl of 김치찌개 kimchi jjigae, or kimchi stew. That’s a dish Koreans commonly make to finish off a jar of kimchi that has become too sour and mostly “juice,” the tangy, spicy, flavorful remnant of pickling.
Kimchi jjigae with 돼지고기 dwaegi gogi (pork), Spam processed ham or 두부 dubu (tofu), are common variations of the dish. Avoiding pork for religious reasons, I was pleased to find 참치김치찌개 chamchi kimchi jjigae, or kimchi stew with tuna, on the menu of a restaurant near Kangwon National University in Chuncheon, a lakeside city in the mountains northeast of Seoul. I first tasted that version in the mid-’90s and have been making it ever since.
Korean grocery stores sell canned tuna specially made for kimchi jjigae, marinated in 고추장 gochujang (Korean red pepper paste). Because tuna is usually chunk light tuna, which has a smell and flavor, albacore canned tuna is my tuna of choice. (But I may have to reconsider after reading this Epicurious article about mercury in albacore.)
Since most canned tuna isn’t packed in gochujang, I add gochujang or 고추가루gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes or powder) to the stew. Gochujang will make the stew thicker; gochugaru, thinner.
Tuna Kimchi Jjigae
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon grapeseed or other oil with a high-temperature smoke point
- 1 cup chopped [amazon_link id="B0035GXXDM" target="_blank" ]kimchi[/amazon_link]
- 1 can white albacore tuna, packed in water
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups kimchi "juice" (top off with fish or chicken broth)
- 1 teaspoon [amazon_link id="B0002YB40O" target="_blank" ]Japanese dashi powder[/amazon_link]
- 1-2 teaspoons Korean [amazon_link id="B002WTE0MQ" target="_blank" ]gochujang[/amazon_link] or [amazon_link id="B004W71CJU" target="_blank" ]gochugaru[/amazon_link] (to your taste)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat the pan, and add the oil. Saute the chopped kimchi and garlic until the kimchi barely becomes soft.
- Add the water, dashi and gochujang/gochugaru and allow the mixture to boil for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the tuna — it's already fully cooked — and continue to boil for about five more minutes.
- Add the sesame oil immediately before serving so the flavor comes through.
- Serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich — try my version with kimchi — for a Koreafornian spin on the classic tomato soup combo.
Nutrition Facts
Tuna Kimchi Jjigae
Serves: 1-2 servings
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 550 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 22 g | 33.8% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0 | |
| Trans Fat | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 | |
| Sodium | 0 | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 0 | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | |
| Sugars | ||
| Protein | ||
| Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
| Calcium | Iron | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
ZenKimchi
WOW! I’ve been making kimchi jiggae with tuna for years, but never thought to pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich. That’s truly brilliant. Thanks!