Cooking for One: Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)

Do you know the story behind budae jjigae? Budae jjigae is a beloved korean stew often enjoyed in korean pubs because it has everything we koreans love- spam, spice, ramen, and dduk. Budae means military base and jjigae means stew, so it's often referred to as army stew. It was birthed in a town called 의정부, near the American military base after the korean war, when we left in post war poverty. People then were so poor, they made a stew with whatever they could find from the army base, like canned meat and sausages, and they improvised a a bit and mixed it with gochugaru and other spices to, well, not only add flavor, but to increase the amount of food to share. You could say it's a fusion dish of worlds colliding, but it's also something that came out of a very difficult part of korean history. Although now, it’s an iconic stew, with a history only rediscovered when someone asks,

[[LINKS]]

Gochugaru (fine, not coarse) https://www.hmart.com/8809061673831-1

Doenjang https://www.hmart.com/15020001 

Mini sausages (i found them at wholefoods! I like these) https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/fork-in-the-road-foods-little-goodies-with-pasture-raised-beef-b074v3ptkr 

Ingredients

Seasoning Mix (This Seasoning Mix actually makes 2 portions, so for 1 we will only add half (you can freeze the other half in a zip lock bag and use it when you need it again!)

• 1 tsp garlic

• 2 Tbsp fine gochugaru

• 2 Tbsp soysauce

• ½ Tbsp doenjang

• 2 tsp sugar

Toppings

• ¼ cabbage (fist-size), chopped

• ¼ spam, sliced (freeze the rest!)

• ½ cup rice cakes (handful)

• 4 pieces of mini sausages (link here)

• ¼ cup kimchi

• 1 Scallion, chopped

• 2-3 pieces of serrano pepper (optional, for extra spicy)

• ½ ramen noodles

• 1 egg

1. Mix the seasoning

2. In a small pot, add cabbage, spam, rice cakes, mini sausages, kimchi, scallions, and serrano pepper

3. Add water until the ingredients are just covered

4. Add ½ of the seasoning mix (double the ingredients and add all the seasoning mix for 2 servings. If you have leftover seasoning mix, freeze it and use it for your next budae jjigae!) and close the lid until it comes to a boil.

5. When the water boils, spread the seasoning so it dissolves. Boil 5 minutes

6. Add the ramen noodles and crack in an egg. Close the lid, boil for another 5 minutes

7. Serve out of the pot! Enjoy with rice

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