Spicy & Sweet Kimchi Pork Stir-fry
The Ultimate Gochujang Sauce Recipe! Perfectly Balanced Kimchi Pork Stir-fry with Chewy Pork and Crisp Kimchi
Pork offers a rich umami flavor and a variety of textures depending on the cut. This recipe features a mouthwatering gochujang-based sauce, combined with kimchi and pork for an irresistible stir-fry. The spicy, chewy, and savory notes are sure to be a hit with your family! This is a popular meat dish that is sure to please.
Main Ingredients- 500g Pork Shoulder (Pork Belly can be used if you prefer fattier cuts)
- 300g Well-fermented Kimchi, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 handfuls Rice Cake Sticks (tteokguk tteok), rinsed in cold water
- 1/2 Onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 Carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 large Spring Onion (Scallion) (half cut into large pieces, half diagonally sliced for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the pork shoulder by slicing it into pieces about 1cm thick. If you prefer a fattier cut, pork belly would be a delicious alternative.
Step 2
Chop the kimchi into bite-sized pieces. If it’s very watery, lightly squeeze out some of the juice using a sieve. This helps prevent the stir-fry from becoming too soupy.
Step 3
Rinse the rice cake sticks (tteokguk tteok) under cold water to remove any starchy residue, then drain them well in a colander.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the flavorful sauce. In a bowl, combine the gochujang, soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar, oligodang, mirin, and minced garlic. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or whisk until there are no lumps. Your delicious sauce is ready!
Step 5
Get a wide, deep pan. Add half of the large-cut spring onions and the sliced pork. Stir-fry them together. You don’t need to pre-fry the spring onions to make ‘pa-gi-reum’ (scallion oil); the pork will release its own fat as it cooks. Stir-frying without adding extra oil results in a lighter, cleaner-tasting kimchi pork stir-fry.
Step 6
Once the pork pieces turn opaque and are about halfway cooked, approximately 50%, remove them from the heat. Be careful not to overcook, as the pork can become tough.
Step 7
When the pork is partially cooked, add the chopped kimchi and sliced onions to the pan. Stir-fry them together. The tangy kimchi and sweet onions will meld beautifully, adding depth to the flavor.
Step 8
Once the onions become translucent and are about half-cooked, add the rinsed rice cake sticks and thinly sliced carrots. Continue to stir-fry, ensuring all ingredients are well combined.
Step 9
As the rice cakes begin to soften and cook through, add all of the prepared gochujang sauce to the pan. Stir-fry vigorously over medium-high heat, constantly mixing to ensure the sauce coats all the ingredients evenly. If you find the seasoning a bit bland, you can add a little more soy sauce to adjust the taste to your preference.
Step 10
When all the ingredients are coated in the sauce and the sauce has slightly thickened, turn off the heat. Finally, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and stir in the remaining diagonally sliced spring onions. For an extra touch of nutty aroma, you can drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Enjoy your delicious Kimchi Pork Stir-fry!
