Kimchi stew (Kimchi-jjigae) (2024)

FAQs

Is it okay to eat kimchi jjigae everyday? ›

Kimchi can be found in almost every Korean household. It is possible to buy kimchi jars in most supermarkets and online sites. Kimchi offers multiple health benefits and maintains the overall health of the body. It is often recommended to include kimchi in your daily diet.

If the kimchi is overly sour to your taste, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to the stew to balance out the sour taste.

As a result, kimchi-jjigae is often cooked using older, more fermented, and "riper" kimchi, which has a much more pronounced flavor and contains higher amounts of probiotics. (Living bacteria in fresh, uncooked kimchi will not survive the cooking process.)

Vegan kimchi jjigae is already such a healthy dish–tons of vegetables, quality protein, and the probiotic benefits of kimchi (more on that in the FAQ below)–but I wanted a way to add more protein and, of course, my good friend fiber.

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

Generally, kimchi is safe for most people unless you have a specific allergy to any of the ingredients. It may also cause some unpleasant side effects such as gas and bloating if you're not used to fermented or high-fibre food.

Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation

It will continue to ferment at a cool temperature. If kimchi over-ferments, it will have a very vinegary odor and taste. It is not pleasant to eat raw, so it is often used for soups and stews. If any fermentation gets soft and slimy, then it is a sign of spoilage.

Kimchi Jjigae will hold well in the fridge for three to four days. You can also freeze it but do so without the tofu as its texture will change when frozen. You can add fresh tofu when reheating the stew in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat.

Lack of Fermentation

Freshly made Kimchi usually have a slight bitter aftertaste when compared to fermented packed ones sold in Supermarkets. This is because JIN Kimchi is made fresh daily and it's so fresh it has not had enough time to ferment.

You can serve Kimchi Jjigae with a bowl of hot steamed rice and some meat or fish (such as Bulgogi or Grilled Mackerel).

Can I add vinegar to kimchi jjigae? ›

The vinegar acts as an instant fermenter and will make it taste a LOT better. Don't skip this step, trust me :) Also, the chili flakes and paste should be the true Korean variety; the Chinese, Thai or regular cayenne pepper will not work.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:

Protein: 37 grams. Carbohydrate: 49.5 grams. Saturated Fat: 3.6 grams. Cholesterol: 246 milligrams.

Delicious pork fat is infused into the spicy broth, and kimchi absorbs all the rich flavors from simmering with meat for a while. Since it's kimchi stew, it's less brothy and slightly thick, and the flavors are more concentrated than a typical soup.

Now, with this, you can totally use whatever veggies and other protein you want. I've eaten some with mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, and even rice cakes! My go-to is tofu, zucchini, onion, and of course kimchi. For this recipe, you only need one pot, which makes it so simple to make.

In a video uploaded to his Instagram account, he insists over a still-sizzling bowl of kimchi jjigae that you should never "put rice into the jjigae," as you should be taking a spoonful on its own before chasing it down with anything else.

Participants who ate more than five servings of kimchi per day were more likely to be at a risk for obesity. That is because kimchi contains a high level of sodium, Jaelin said. “If you're eating three meals a day — maybe you're having kimchi on the side — that's great.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:

Calories: 596. Protein: 37 grams. Carbohydrate: 49.5 grams. Saturated Fat: 3.6 grams.

Although individuals can cook kimchi, keep in mind that heating any fermented foods can start to kill off the healthy probiotics. So, to retain the health benefits, it is best to add kimchi in at the end of the cooking process.

Soups are a common part of any Korean meal. Unlike other cultures, in Korean culture, soup is served as part of the main course rather than at the beginning or the end of the meal, as an accompaniment to rice along with other banchan. Soups known as guk are often made with meats, shellfish and vegetables.