Korean Soy Pulp Stew (Okara with Aged Kimchi and Pork)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 32 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Biji jjigae is a Korean stew built around soy pulp - the dense, grainy byproduct of tofu making - cooked together with well-fermented aged kimchi and pork.
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The soy pulp dissolves gradually into the cooking liquid, giving the broth a thick, porridge-like body and a mild nuttiness. Salted fermented shrimp adds a concentrated umami punch, and perilla oil contributes a roasted, savory fragrance. The deep tang of old kimchi and the rendered fat from the pork slowly permeate the soy pulp as the pot simmers, producing a heavy, richly flavored stew. Soy pulp is high in protein and dietary fiber, making the finished dish both filling and nutritious. Starting over high heat and reducing to a low simmer for at least twenty minutes allows the pork to cook through fully and the stew to thicken and deepen.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut the 120g pork into bite-size pieces and slice the half onion thinly.
Chop the 150g aged kimchi; if it carries excess liquid, squeeze it lightly so the stew thickens instead of becoming watery.
- 2Control
Heat 1 tablespoon perilla oil in a pot over medium heat.
Add the pork and 1 tablespoon minced garlic, then stir-fry about 2 minutes until the pork surface turns opaque and some fat appears.
- 3Control
Add the aged kimchi and onion.
Stir-fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes, scraping the bottom often, until the kimchi looks slightly translucent and the onion softens without scorching.
- 4Control
Add 1.5 cups water and 300g soy pulp, then set the pot over high heat.
Break up clumps with a spoon as it heats so the pulp disperses evenly before the stew boils hard.
- 5Control
When the stew boils hard, lower to medium-low and simmer at least 20 minutes.
Stir from the bottom every couple of minutes because soy pulp settles quickly and can burn before the top looks dry.
- 6Finish
Once the broth is thick and the pork is fully cooked, season with 0.5 tablespoon salted shrimp.
Simmer 2 more minutes, taste for saltiness, then finish with a small extra drizzle of perilla oil if desired.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Grainy soy pulp spreads a nutty, thick body through this aged kimchi biji jjigae.
- Finish cue
- Stir-fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes, scraping the bottom often, until the kimchi looks slightly translucent and the onion softens without scorching.
- Avoid this
- Stir from the bottom every couple of minutes because soy pulp settles quickly and can burn before the top looks dry.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
32min, 8 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 122 recipes
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