Korean Army Stew on a Winter’s Day

one of the best Korean hearty stews- great on a winter's day

Korean Army Stew on a Winter’s Day

On a cold winter day, there is nothing better than to make a delicious Korean-style stew pot One of the easiest to make is called “pudaejijae (army stew)”. The dish started U.S. Army Korean War. Restaurants near U.S. Army bases concocted the recipe from black market meats, adding tofu, kimchi, and sometimes black market cheese on top. The dish was cheap and seen as a working-class dish, but now has become comfort food.


Here's how to make it

Put in a big pot

4 cups chicken stock
Water
Spam sliced thinly
Hot dogs sliced up
Tofu sliced thinly
Enoki mushrooms
Shikaoi mushrooms
Kimchi sliced up
green onions

Make a sauce consisting of

2 tablespoons gochugaru Korean red chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon gochujang Korean chili paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Minced garlic

Add to stew

Some people add Korean noodles and even cheese.

At home, they throw in leftovers as well.

Simmer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with rice, kimchi, and a few vegetable side dishes. And with beer or soju (Korean vodka made out of sweet potatoes).. Soju is a potent cheap drink, drunk in straight shots, Russian style, but you never pour your own drink; rather, you pour a drink for your companion.

A variation is kimchijijae (kimchi stew)

It is essentially the same thing but substituting chicken, or pork for spam and hot dogs, and adding more tofu and kimchi, but no cheese, sometimes they add noodles at the end
..
These jijae (stews) are very popular in the winter but are enjoyed year-round as a “hangover” soup first thing in the morning. Koreans are good drinkers and they have perfected the hangover soup cure.


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NEW PROMPT DUE 4 hours 17 minutes 31 seconds

Woke up this morning to -5 degree temps and a winter wonderland outside after it snowed all day yesterday. So it's one of those "stay inside warm and cozy and make soup" kind of days for me and Mr. Sophy. Write a story or poem about being stuck inside with loved ones by extreme weather, and creating a new soup recipe with whatever ingredients they can pull together from the kitchen. Include the experience of making the soup, AND the recipe they come up with (and if it's any good)!
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