Rich Saury Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew with Saury)
A hearty stew for 3 to 4 people made rich and savory with canned pacific saury liquid and aged sour kimchi.
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 →
This stew draws out a rich, savory broth using aged sour kimchi and canned pacific saury. Adding mirin while stir-frying the kimchi removes any fishiness, and using the liquid from the can as a broth base enhances deep umami flavor. It comes together effortlessly into a thick stew that is great to mix into rice.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Canned pacific saury1, 300 g
- Aged sour kimchi1 clove, 400 g
- Tofu200 g
- White part of large green onion (daepa)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Kimchi brine1/2 cup
- Liquid from canned food1 cup
- Water2–3 cups
Seasoning
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Salta little
- Ground black peppera little
- You can also use ingredients like onion or mushrooms.
- Instead of canned pacific saury, you can prepare one large can of chunk light tuna.
- If you do not like using the canned liquid, you can replace it by using 1 cup of kimchi brine instead.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
1 can of canned pacific saury (300 g), a quarter head of aged sour kimchi or well-fermented mugeunji, tofu, large green onion, Cheongyang chili pepper, and 1/2 cup of kimchi brine. (You can also use onion or mushrooms.)
Instead of canned saury, you may prepare one large can of chunk light tuna.
I set aside a smaller amount of kimchi brine because I plan to use 1 cup of the canned liquid from the saury can as the base broth.
If you do not like using the canned liquid, just use 1 cup of kimchi brine.
Slice the ingredients
Shake off the seasonings from the aged sour kimchi or mugeunji and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Slice the tofu thickly into sizes similar to the kimchi, and diagonally slice the large green onion and Cheongyang chili pepper.
Stir-fry the kimchi
In a pan greased with cooking oil, add 2 tbsp of mirin (cooking rice wine) to take care of any stale smell from the aged sour kimchi or mugeunji and any fishiness from the saury, and stir-fry until the kimchi turns limp. For mugeunji, it is also good to add a little sugar to neutralize the sour taste.
Boil
Pour in 1/2 cup of kimchi brine, 1 cup of canned liquid, and 2 cups of anchovy broth or water together.
If it feels like there is not enough broth, add more water or anchovy broth and boil.
Once the kimchi turns translucent and is nicely tender, season with the saury, 1 tbsp of minced garlic, and 1 tbsp of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), then simmer so the flavors blend well into the broth.
If you prepared canned tuna, you can add it at this point.
Add the tofu, large green onion, chili pepper, and a little ground black pepper, then bring to a quick boil...
Thanks to the saltiness of the canned liquid and kimchi brine, the seasoning was just right without adding anything extra.
If it tastes bland to you, adjust with salt to finish.
5. Complete
Ppunwife's tips
- For mugeunji, it is also good to add a little sugar to neutralize the sour taste.
- If it feels like there is not enough broth, add more water or anchovy broth and boil.
- Thanks to the saltiness of the canned liquid and kimchi brine, it is well seasoned without extra seasoning; if it tastes bland, adjust with salt.
FAQ
What should I do if I don't want to use the canned liquid?
You can cook by increasing the amount of kimchi brine to 1 cup instead of using the canned liquid.
Can I use another ingredient instead of canned pacific saury?
You can prepare a large can of chunk light tuna instead of saury and add it at the same step.
How do I reduce the sour taste or strong smell of mugeunji?
Stir-fry the kimchi with a drizzle of mirin, and if the sourness is strong, adding a little sugar will help tone it down.
