Spicy and Hearty Pork and Tofu Stew (Jjigae)
Delicious Pork and Tofu Stew
Enjoy a deliciously spicy and deeply flavorful pork and tofu stew, easily made at home. It’s a truly irresistible dish that pairs perfectly with rice.
Stew Ingredients
- Pork 150g (stewing cut, or pork shoulder/belly)
- Tofu 1 block (firm or stewing tofu)
- Onion 1/2 medium
- Scallion 1/2 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper 1 (optional, for extra heat)
Pork Marinating & Sautéing
- Cooking oil (sunflower oil recommended) a little
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1/2 Tbsp
- Black pepper a pinch
- Minced garlic 1 Tbsp (heaping)
- Cooking wine (Mirin) 1 Tbsp
Seasoning Paste
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 Tbsp
- Soy sauce 2 Tbsp
- Brown sugar 1 tsp
- Plum extract 1 Tbsp
- Fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance) 1 Tbsp
- Water or kelp-anchovy broth 2 cups (standard paper cup size)
- Cooking oil (sunflower oil recommended) a little
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1/2 Tbsp
- Black pepper a pinch
- Minced garlic 1 Tbsp (heaping)
- Cooking wine (Mirin) 1 Tbsp
Seasoning Paste
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 Tbsp
- Soy sauce 2 Tbsp
- Brown sugar 1 tsp
- Plum extract 1 Tbsp
- Fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance) 1 Tbsp
- Water or kelp-anchovy broth 2 cups (standard paper cup size)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables. Thinly slice the onion. Diagonally slice the scallions and chili peppers to add fragrant aroma and spiciness.
Step 2
Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Place the pork in a pot or deep pan, add a pinch of salt and a little cooking oil, then sauté over medium heat until the surface of the meat is cooked.
Step 3
Once the pork is somewhat cooked, add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil (sunflower oil recommended) to the side of the pan. Add 1/2 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp heaping minced garlic, a pinch of black pepper, and 1 Tbsp cooking wine, and stir-fry together. This step helps to extract chili oil, creating a more flavorful stew.
Step 4
Continue to stir-fry for about 1 minute, allowing the ingredients to meld and release their aromas.
Step 5
Now it’s time to add the broth. Pour in 2 cups of water or kelp-anchovy broth (using a standard paper cup as a measure). Add all the pre-mixed seasoning paste ingredients (1 Tbsp gochujang, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp plum extract, 1 Tbsp fish sauce) and stir well to dissolve.
Step 6
Cut the tofu into suitable pieces and add it to the pot. Handle the tofu gently to prevent it from breaking apart.
Step 7
Add the prepared sliced onion, diagonally sliced scallions, and chili peppers. Gently stir the ingredients from top to bottom with a spatula or spoon, being careful not to crush the tofu, to ensure everything is evenly distributed.
Step 8
Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for about 5-7 minutes until all the ingredients have melded and the broth has slightly reduced. Your spicy and deeply flavorful pork and tofu stew is ready! Enjoy it hot with a bowl of rice.
