Budae jigae translates to “army base soup,” and it’s just what you would imagine: a rich, flavorful red jigae broth, with the kinds of foods you’d find at a US army commissary. This dish stems from the post-peninsula conflict, and is a testament to Korean ingenuity. As possibly pedestrian as it sounds, this dish hits all the notes: kimchi, savory, and definitely salty. It’s definitely one of my go-to comfort foods, even though it’s from another culture completely. This dish is vegetable hearty, with napa, kimchi, zucchini, onion, and green onion. And protein-heavy, owing to Spam, hot dogs, pork, tofu, and baked beans. It also has a decent amount of carbs, with rice cakes, ramen (can be GF), and possibly potato starch noodles. Let’s not forget the American cheese,, dairy free if you need it, which makes an ooy-gooey meld on top. And just what about the Spam? I’d had Spam once in my life before this dish, and now I’m a convert. I opt for the lower-sodium version, but the flavor in this broth is a guilty pleasure. Instead of pork belly, I use pork chops, because they’re more readily available. I make this dish on the NuWave induction burner in a cast-iron wok, to serve at the table as it melds together and cooks down.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Mix the paste ingredients together and set aside.
- In a large wok, Dutch oven, or heavy-bottom pot, start by layering the cabbage, zucchini, onion, and green onion.
- Add the pork, kimchi, and paste.
- Layer on the baked beans, hot dogs, spam, tofu, and rice cakes.
- Add 5 cups of broth, and the ramen noodles on top.
- Start cooking the meal on high, until it’s at a good boil, for about 15 minutes.
- Stir and push the ramen down, adding more broth as necessary.
- When the dish is nearly finished, looking a deep red and the meat is cooked through, add the cheese on top to melt.
- Serve with rice!
