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A stew rich in history and flavor
I’m a huge fan of bibigo products and am so thrilled to partner with them to talk about their Savory Chicken Potstickers. There are a ton of delicious ways to enjoy them but today I’ll be sharing how I like to add them to my soups and stews, namely in budae jjigae, also known as Korean Army Base Stew.
bigigo Savory Chicken Potstickers
The bibigo Savory Potstickers are a great addition to this dish. The potstickers are packed with a flavorful chicken and vegetable filling and are fully cooked so they require just a few minutes to boil. The wrappers are thin and offer a nice chewy texture when cooked into soups and stews. The potstickers are also great on their own or as an easy appetizer/side. Fry them in a pan for 6 minutes or air-fry until they are golden and crispy on the outside. You can enjoy them steamed as well.
The potstickers come with a tangy ginger soy dipping sauce and are on sale at Costco (November 22, 2021 – December 24, 2021) for $6.99 (Original price: $10.99)!!
What is budae jjigae?
Budae Jjigae is a popular Korean fusion dish that came about after the Korean War. At a very difficult time in the nation’s history when food was scarce, Koreans combined American food products obtained from US army bases. These food items included spam, hot dogs, cheese, and beans. Koreans developed a love for these items and combined them with traditional Korean ingredients to create a hearty, savory, and spicy stew.
It’s a dish that is typically enjoyed with friends but you can adjust the recipe to serve one or two. You can customize the stew by using ingredients you have available in your fridge or pantry. It’s easy, comforting, and oh-so-satisfying on a cold day. Best of all, it all comes together in 20 minutes.
How do you make budae jjigae?
I like to start by cooking my kimchi in dashi or chicken broth so the kimchi has ample time to soften and fully cook. At this time, you can also soak your rice cakes (if using frozen rice cakes) along with the Korean glass noodles in some water so they can soften.
While your kimchi and broth are cooking, make your seasoning paste and chop up your prepared meats and vegetables. Then simply add all the ingredients into the pot with the exception of the cheese and green onions and let everything simmer for about four minutes. Lastly, add in the cheese and green onions and let cook for another 2 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.
The seasoning paste
The seasoning paste consists of traditional Korean ingredients found in most Korean soups and stews. You can find most if not all of the ingredients at your local grocery store with the exception of the gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), rice cakes, and Korean glass noodles which are sold at Asian supermarkets or on Amazon.
What kind of pot should I use?
A braising pot with low sides is recommended for this dish so that all the ingredients can visibly seen when arranged. It also makes for easier serving as it can be placed at the enter of the table for everyone to help themselves. If you don’t have a shallow pot like this then go ahead and use a regular stock pot. It may not look as nice with all the ingredients laid out but it will still taste amazing.
What else can I add to budae jjigae?
Some other ingredients that taste great in budae jjigae include bok choy, enoki mushrooms (or any type of mushroom really), fish cakes, corn, ground sausage/beef, and snow peas. The great thing about budae jjigae is that it is customizable and can be adapted according to preferences and availability of ingredients. Let me know what you’ll be adding to your budae jjigae in the comments below!
Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Base Stew)
Ingredients
- 1/2 block spam, sliced
- 1/2 block tofu, sliced
- 2 links hot dog or sausage, sliced
- 1 cup kimchi, chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms (enoki or any mushroom will do)
- 1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
- 3/4 cup rice cakes
- 6-8 bibigo savory chicken potstickers Or your dumpling/potsticker of choice
- 1 pack ramen noodles
- 2 oz Korean glass noodles Also called sweet potato noodles
- 2 tbsp canned baked beans *optional
- 2 green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2 slices yellow cheese
- 5-6 cups broth Dashi, chicken, vegetable, or any broth will do. If adding the glass noodles, you will need to use the full 6 cups of broth
Seasoning Paste
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced About 6-8 cloves
- 2 heaping tbsp Korean red pepper paste
- 1 tbsp Korean red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Soak your rice cakes and Korean glass noodles in cold water and set aside for about 10 minutes.
- To a wide pot with shallow sides, add broth and kimchi and bring to a simmer. If planning to add glass noodles to your stew, you will need to use the full 6 cups of broth. Let cook for about 10 minutes.
- While the kimchi broth is cooking, combine all the ingredients for the seasoning paste into a bowl. Mix and set aside. You can also chop up your vegetables and meats.
- Take your pot off the heat and arrange all the ingredients over the broth except for the cheese and green onions. Don't forget drain and add the rice cakes and glass noodles. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 4 minutes with lid closed.
- Top with cheese slices and chopped green onions and allow to simmer with lid closed for an additional 2 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.
- Serve immediately by itself or with cooked rice.
