Kimchi-jjigae.

Cha Seung-won made this on 삼시세끼 and 임영웅 ate it on TV with the look of a man who'd rather be eating this than anything else. The recipe is humble: sour kimchi, a can of tuna, a block of tofu. The trick is one step almost everyone skips.

Fry the kimchi in oil for two minutes before you add water. That's where the depth comes from.

Ingredients

The 2·1·1 base

• 2 cups well-fermented sour kimchi (신김치) — chopped, with juice
• 1 can tuna in oil (~150g) — drained
• 1 block firm tofu (~300g), cubed
• 600ml water (or anchovy stock)

The seasoning

• 1 tbsp gochugaru (for color and heat)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp gochujang (optional — for body)
• 1 tsp sugar (balances kimchi sourness)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (for frying the kimchi)

Finish

• 1 stalk daepa, sliced
• 1 cheongyang chili, sliced — optional

Method

1. Fry the kimchi. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot. Add chopped sour kimchi. Sauté on medium-high for 2–3 minutes until edges brown and the smell turns sweet. This is the whole game.
2. Bloom the chili. Add gochugaru and garlic. Stir 30 seconds — don't burn.
3. Add water + tuna. Pour in 600ml water and the kimchi juice. Add the drained tuna. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer 10 min. Reduce to medium. Cover loosely. The broth deepens and turns a deep red.
5. Add tofu + seasonings. Slide in tofu cubes. Add gochujang and sugar. Simmer 5 more minutes.
6. Finish. Add daepa and chili. 1 more minute. Serve in the pot. Eat with white rice.

Tip · the kimchi must be sour

Fresh kimchi makes a flat stew. You want kimchi that's been in the fridge 2+ weeks — the kind that's gone slightly sour. If your kimchi is too fresh, leave it on the counter for a day to speed up fermentation.

Tip · why fry the kimchi

Frying kimchi in oil before adding water caramelizes the lactic acid sugars and concentrates the flavor. Skip this step and you have a thin, sharp soup. Do it and you have a stew that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

Tip · oil-packed tuna, not water-packed

Korean cans are usually oil-packed (참치캔). The oil carries flavor. If you only have water-packed, add an extra ½ tbsp neutral oil to the pot.