Kimchi JJigae (Kimchi Stew)

As you may have noticed there has been a name change for the blog. In addition to music and cooking, I love makeup and skincare products. I recently got some amazing Korean skincare products and makeup and I wanted to share them with you. So now I will share all my passions with you! You will still get recipes every week but I will also post about new skincare products that I like or makeup that I love from Korea. Sound good? Ok, great! Lets get started on this weeks recipe.
This week I decided to make Kimchi JJigae. It's getting colder here and what better way to warm up than with this spicy, hot soup! This dish is really great because you can use older Kimchi to make it. Kimchi is a staple in most Korean homes and used all the time. If you have a container in the fridge and its been there for a while, instead of throwing it out, you can make kimchi jjigea.
If you have read my other posts you know that I usually listen to BIGBANG or EXO. This week is no different. I am on a BIGBANG/G-Dragon kick at the moment. The music is so GOOD! I can't get enough. Recently BIGBANG performed at the MAMAs(Mnet Asian Music Awards) and their performance was spectacular! I really love that they started with their song LOSER. I hadn't really noticed this song before seeing their performance but it has quickly become one of my favorites. It's such an emotional song and I think many of us can relate to feeling like a loser. We all have times where we feel alone, and are down on ourselves. I read an article that discusses the meaning behind the song. It was inspired by their lives in the spotlight and even though they are held in such high regard, they are still human. I think in this digital age where we are granted access to so much information we forget about privacy. It is great that these musicians and celebrities share themselves with us but we need to remember they are human too and deserve privacy and compassion just like everyone else. I think many fans are so demanding and often forget that their are such things as boundaries. I hope that in future fans will be able to appreciate them but still allow them space to live their lives.
Now it's time for the cooking! This recipe is from the Korean Bapsang and can be found here.

Ingredients
2 cups packed bite size kimchi (fully fermented)
4 ounces fresh pork belly (or other meat with some fat)
1 to 3 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) adjust depending on heat preference
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 cup juice from kimchi
2 cups of water (use 1/2 cup more if kimchi juice not available)
6 ounces tofu
2 scallions
salt and pepper to taste

Step 1.
Cut up the pork belly and kimchi into bite size pieces. Slice the tofu and cut up the scallions

Step 2.
Place the kimchi, pork, gochugaru, ginger and garlic in a pan and place on medium high heat. Cook until the pork is cooked and the kimchi has softened. This should take about 10 minutes.

(mmm looks yummy!)

Step 3
Add the kimchi juice and water. Reduce the heat to medium and let it all boil for about 20 minutes.

(it's getting there)

Step 4
Add the tofu and scallions. You can also add salt and pepper to taste but I did not. Allow this to boil until the tofu is cooked. It should take about 5 minutes. Serve while bubbling from the heat.

I found this dish to be very enjoyable and easy to make. It was delicious, spicy and filling. I think this dish will be amazing to make all year round. Next time I'll add more red pepper flakes or try to use more kimchi juice. Kimchi is so flavorful and delicious and next time I make this I would like to get even more of that amazing taste.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks adventure. Let me know what you thought in the comments below. If you have any dishes you would like to recommend please leave them in the comments. Until next week!

Xoxo,
Rachel