Thin-Sliced Pork Belly Kimchi Jjim
This kimchi stew features sour kimchi homemade by my mother-in-law, thin-sliced pork belly, and tuna. For Shinji, who has a weak temporomandibular joint, all ingredients are finely chopped for easy chewing, creating a soft texture that can be enjoyed even without teeth.
📝 Editor's Notes
Today's feature, Chadol Sundubu Doenjang Jjigae (차돌순두부된장찌개), is a stew that boasts a deep and rich umami flavor, utilizing three types of Korean fermented pastes.
The savory richness of beef brisket (chadolbagi) combined with the softness of silken tofu (sundubu) makes it incredibly smooth and easy to eat without much chewing.
A secret to its exceptional taste lies in stir-frying the fermented pastes first to eliminate any off-flavors and enhance their savory depth, offering a profound taste experience unlike your usual doenjang jjigae (된장찌개).
It's a perfect hearty meal for chilly weather or an excellent accompaniment to drinks.
This dish is also wonderful for the whole family to enjoy.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
The key ingredients for this stew are the three Korean fermented pastes, beef brisket (chadolbagi), and silken tofu (sundubu).
Tojang (토장), Ssamjang (쌈장), and Doenjang (된장) each have distinct flavors, and using them together creates a much richer depth of taste.
For doenjang, using homemade traditional doenjang rather than a commercial one will yield a more savory and deeper flavor.
For beef brisket, choose pieces that are bright pink with clean, white fat layers.
Evenly distributed marbling will result in a more tender texture.
For silken tofu, select one made from domestic beans for a richer and fresher taste.
Avoid packages that are torn or discolored.
🔄 Substitution Guide
If beef brisket (chadolbagi) is not preferred, you can use thinly sliced beef chuck or shoulder instead.
While it may lack the distinctive savory fat flavor of brisket, you will enjoy a lighter and cleaner taste.
If silken tofu (sundubu) is unavailable, large cubes of regular firm tofu for stew can be used.
Please note that the texture will not be as smooth as silken tofu.
Instead of three types of Korean fermented pastes, you can use only regular doenjang (된장), but the depth of umami might be slightly reduced.
In that case, adding about 0.5 tbsp of gochujang (고추장) can help balance the flavor.
If tuna sauce (참치액) is not available, 1 tbsp of gukganjang (국간장, Korean soup soy sauce) can be substituted, but you might miss the unique seafood umami flavor of tuna sauce.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
There are two most important cooking points.
First, the process of stir-frying the Korean fermented pastes first.
Heat cooking oil in a frying pan, then add tojang (토장), ssamjang (쌈장), and doenjang (된장), and stir-fry thoroughly over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes.
This process removes any bitterness from the pastes and significantly enhances their umami and savory aroma.
This is one of the secrets to the stew's flavor.
Second, skimming off the fat from the beef brisket (chadolbagi).
As the brisket cooks, a lot of fat will rise to the surface; carefully remove it with a ladle to enjoy a cleaner and lighter tasting stew.
By following these two points, you can successfully make a delicious Chadol Sundubu Doenjang Jjigae (차돌순두부된장찌개).
👨🍳 Directions
Finely chop 0.5 head of sour kimchi (신김치) into bite-sized pieces so that it is easy for people with weak temporomandibular joints to eat.
Finely chop 0.5 onion and 0.5 stalk of green onion into bite-sized pieces as well.
Heat cooking oil in a pan, add the chopped kimchi, and stir-fry.
Add 1 tbsp of stevia and stir-fry together.
Drain the oil from 1 can of tuna, then add it along with 1 tbsp of tuna sauce (참치액) and 1 tbsp of minced garlic. Stir-fry over high heat.
Add the chopped onion, green onion, and 2 tbsp of gochugaru (고춧가루), then stir-fry evenly, making sure not to burn them.
Once the vegetables are stir-fried, pour in enough water to barely cover the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Add 7 oz of thin-sliced pork belly (대패삼겹살), cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes until done. (Reduce the liquid until there's almost no broth left!)
💡 Tips
Prepare ingredients by chopping them into small pieces for easy eating, especially for those with weak temporomandibular joints.
Draining the oil from the canned tuna before adding it will result in a cleaner taste.
Adjust the amount of water according to your preference. It's best to reduce the liquid until there's almost no broth left.
This dish boasts a soft texture that can be enjoyed even without teeth.
📦 Storage & Reuse
The finished Chadol Sundubu Doenjang Jjigae (차돌순두부된장찌개) can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days while maintaining freshness.
After it has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container.
For longer storage, it is recommended to portion it out into individual servings and freeze.
When frozen, it's best consumed within 2 weeks.
To reheat, transfer it to a pot and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
You can add a little water or broth at this time to adjust the consistency, allowing you to enjoy the original taste.
Leftover stew can also be repurposed by adding rice and simmering it like a porridge, or by adding more tofu and re-boiling it for another delicious meal.
🥢 Who This Is For
This Chadol Sundubu Doenjang Jjigae (차돌순두부된장찌개) is a great dish for the whole family to enjoy.
Thanks to the soft silken tofu (sundubu) and beef brisket (chadolbagi), children and seniors can also enjoy it without discomfort.
It's perfect when you crave a warm stew on a chilly day, or as a hearty meal.
It's truly delicious when mixed with freshly cooked white rice.
Recommended side dishes include crunchy kkakdugi (깍두기, cubed radish kimchi), well-fermented baechu kimchi (배추김치, napa cabbage kimchi), and refreshing oi muchim (오이무침, spicy cucumber salad).
It also pairs well with spicy gochujang bulgogi (고추장 불고기) or light grilled fish.
🔥 Nutrition Info
This Chadol Sundubu Doenjang Jjigae (차돌순두부된장찌개) is estimated to be approximately 400-500 kcal per serving (based on about 2 servings).
Thanks to the beef brisket (chadolbagi) and silken tofu (sundubu), it is expected to contain about 30-40g of protein, and approximately 25-35g of fat from the animal fat in the brisket and cooking oil.
You can expect to consume about 15-20g of carbohydrates from ingredients like zucchini and the fermented pastes.
In particular, silken tofu and beef brisket provide high-quality protein, and zucchini contains various vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, C, and potassium, making this dish good for nutritional balance.
Tuna sauce (참치액) adds umami while also helping to manage sodium intake.
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