Spicy, Rich Gochujang Gamja Jjigae (Spicy Potato and Chili Stew)
A spicy stew featuring deep savoriness achieved by stir-frying pork and potatoes first.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Stir-fry the pork and potatoes in oil first to lock in meat juices and keep the potatoes from breaking apart too easily. Adding gochujang and gochugaru to an anchovy broth base creates a spicy, deep flavor reminiscent of braised spicy chicken. Adding sweet potato glass noodles to pull out and eat makes it an extra treat.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Potato3, 250 g
- Pork200 g (pork belly, shoulder, front leg, or hind leg)
- Onion1/2
- Large green onion (daepa)1/4 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Red chili pepper1
- Toasted sesame oil (or perilla oil)2 tbsp
- Anchovy broth4 cups
Pork marinade
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Minced ginger1/2 tsp
Seasoning
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Besides pork shoulder, you can use pork belly, front leg, or hind leg; zucchini, mushrooms, and tofu also make great additions.
- You can add sweet potato glass noodles if you like.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Prepare 3 medium potatoes, 1/2 medium onion, 1/4 stalk of large green onion, 1 Cheongyang chili pepper, and 1 red chili pepper.
I prepared 200g of pork shoulder, but pork belly, front leg, or hind leg are all great.
Zucchini, mushrooms, or tofu—which are not shown here—also make wonderful additions.
Season the meat by adding 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp mirin, and 1/2 tsp minced ginger.
Adding alcohol or ginger to pork eliminates any gamey odor, so it is best to add them if possible.
Slice the vegetables
Cut the potatoes into thick, bite-sized pieces.
Sweet new-crop onions add a slight sweetness and soften the broth when added to stir-fries or soups.
Cut the onion thickly into sizes similar to the potatoes.
Finely slice the large green onion, Cheongyang chili pepper, and red chili pepper.
Stir-fry
Drizzle 2 tbsp of toasted sesame oil or perilla oil, add the meat and potatoes, and stir-fry briskly.
Stir-frying once like this keeps the potatoes from breaking apart easily and draws the meat juices well into the broth for a much deeper, richer flavor.
Add broth and boil
Pour in 4 cups of anchovy broth and bring to a rolling boil. Skim off any foam that rises to keep the broth clean.
Add seasonings
Add 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp minced garlic, and 1 tbsp gochugaru, then boil until the seasonings blend together.
Taste the broth, and if it is bland, adjust with salt.
Add the onion, large green onion, Cheongyang chili pepper, red chili pepper, and a little ground black pepper, then boil vigorously for a brief moment to finish.
Ppunwife's tips
- Adding alcohol or ginger to pork eliminates any gamey odor, so it is best to add them if possible.
- Stir-frying once like this keeps the potatoes from breaking apart easily and draws the meat juices well into the broth for a much deeper, richer flavor.
- Skim off any foam that rises to keep the broth clean.
FAQ
Which cut of pork should I use?
Besides pork shoulder, you can use pork belly, front leg, or hind leg cuts.
Is there a reason to stir-fry the meat and potatoes before pouring in the broth?
Stir-frying them once in oil keeps the potatoes from falling apart easily while boiling, and releases the meat juices to make the broth far deeper and richer.
What ingredients are good to add besides the basic vegetables?
Zucchini, mushrooms, or tofu go very well, and you can also add a little sweet potato glass noodles according to your preference.
