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Wide black pot of budae jjigae Korean army stew bubbling with ramen noodles, melted cheese, sliced sausage, luncheon meat, tofu, kimchi, enoki mushrooms and scallions, with bowls of white rice beside it

Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew)

A spicy, bubbling Korean army stew with kimchi, Spam, sausage, tofu, and ramen in a gochujang broth, finished with melted cheese.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the broth
  • 4 cups (960 ml) water or light anchovy stock
  • 1 1/2 cups well-fermented napa kimchi chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) kimchi juice pressed from the kimchi jar
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon gochugaru plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
For the pot
  • 1 can (12 oz / 340 g) Spam sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 4 hot dogs or Vienna sausages sliced on a diagonal
  • 7 oz (200 g) firm tofu sliced into rectangles
  • 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 4 oz (115 g) enoki or oyster mushrooms torn
  • 2 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup canned baked beans optional, traditional
To finish
  • 1 pack instant ramen noodles seasoning packet discarded
  • 1 to 2 slices American cheese
  • 1/2 cup sliced tteok (Korean rice cakes) soaked if frozen (optional)

Method
 

  1. Mix the broth base. In a wide, shallow pot or a large deep skillet, stir together the water or stock, kimchi juice, gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. This is easier before the pot is full of food.
  2. Lay in the sturdy ingredients. Add the chopped kimchi, onion, Spam, sausages, tofu, mushrooms, and baked beans if using. Arrange them in sections rather than dumping them in a pile, then pour the seasoned broth over everything.
  3. Bring it to a boil. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a steady boil. Let it bubble for 8 to 10 minutes, until the kimchi softens and the broth turns a deep orange-red. Spoon broth over the tofu and mushrooms as it cooks.
  4. Taste before the noodles. Noodles and cheese will mute the seasoning, so check now. The broth should taste a little too bold at this point: spicy, sour, and salty. Add gochugaru for heat or a pinch of sugar if the kimchi is very sour.
  5. Add the fast ingredients. Nestle the ramen noodles and tteok (if using) into the broth, add the scallions, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the noodles are just tender. Keep the noodles submerged and loosen them with chopsticks so they cook evenly.
  6. Finish with cheese. Lay the cheese slices over the center of the pot, put the lid on for 30 seconds, then serve right away. Stir the melted cheese through the noodles at the table.