Budae jjigae, often known as army base stew, is the most direct expression of my two cultures: American and Korean. Budae jjigae is a spicy and substantial dish made with delicious meats, cheese, and whatever other ingredients are available.
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 ramen spice packets
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
For the budae jjigae:
- 1 cup rice cakes (sliced oval coins, fresh or frozen)
- 2 green onions
- 1 cup kimchi
- 1/4 cup napa cabbage
- 8 ounces enoki mushrooms
- 1 (4.6-ounce) can Vienna sausages, drained
- 1 (12-ounce) can Spam
- 12 ounces firm tofu, drained
- 1/2 cup canned pork and beans or baked beans
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 package instant ramen (preferably spicy)
- 1 to 2 slices american cheese
To serve:
- 3 cups steamed rice
Instructions:
Step No.01
To make the sauce, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
Step No.02
Prepare the soup’s ingredients:
Soak the rice cakes in cold water for at least 15 minutes to soften them and remove any extra starch.
Remove the root end of the green onions and slice them at an angle into 1/8-inch slices. Set aside to garnish the budae jjigae at the end.
Chop the kimchi into bite-sized pieces. Slice the napa cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
Remove the base of the enoki mushrooms and split them into individual pieces, eliminating any additional dirt as you go.
Cut Vienna sausages into 1/4-inch diagonal slices. Cut the Spam and Tofu blocks in half and then into 1/4-inch slices.
Step No.03
Prepare the soup:
Drain the ricecakes.
In a big, shallow saucepan or wok, put the rice cakes, kimchi, cabbage, mushrooms, sausages, Spam, tofu, and beans along the edges, leaving the center empty. Spoon your sauce into the center.
Step No.04
To bring to a boil, pour chicken broth around the borders and cook on high. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and use long chopsticks or a spoon to combine the broth and sauce in the center. Cover with a lid and boil for 10 minutes to reheat the proteins and cook the remaining ingredients.
Step No.05
Add the noodles.
Remove the lid. Cook the ramen noodles in the center of the pot, ladling soup over them and using chopsticks to loosen, until soft and bouncy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Step No.06
To serve, top the ramen with cheese slices and cover for 30 seconds until melted. Garnish as desired. Remove the lid and top your budae jjigae with sliced green onion.
Use a ladle and tongs to dish everyone’s preferred portions. Serve with hot rice, if preferred.
Full Recipes:https://www.simplyrecipes.com/budae-jjigae-army-base-stew-recipe-7969733