Korean Tuna Stew
Quick answer
- Total time
- 25 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 10
About this dish
Chamchi jjigae features canned tuna and fresh vegetables simmered into a spicy Korean soup.
Read more
This recipe utilizes the oil from the tuna can directly in the pot, which builds a deep, savory broth without needing a separate anchovy or kelp stock. The tuna meat and oil simmer together with water before seasonings like gochugaru, soup soy sauce, and minced garlic are stirred in to create a spicy base. Slices of onion are simmered to release a subtle sweetness that tempers the initial heat of the chili flakes. Tofu slices and zucchini are cooked until tender, absorbing the salty stew broth to carry seasoning to their centers. Diagonally cut green onion and a sliced Cheongyang chili pepper are added at the end to provide a fresh, sharp finish. You can also add instant ramen noodles to create a filling one-pot meal.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut half a block of tofu and half a zucchini into 1.5 cm bite-sized pieces.
Slice half an onion into thick 0.5 cm strips, then cut the green onion and cheongyang chili on a diagonal.
- 2Control
Put the entire can of tuna, including the oil, into a pot and pour in 500 ml of water.
Bring it to a strong boil over high heat for about 3 minutes, until the tuna oil spreads through the broth.
- 3Season
Once it boils, add 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
Stir for about 1 minute, scraping the bottom, so the seasoning dissolves and the broth turns evenly red.
- 4Control
Add the sliced onion and lower the heat to medium-high.
Simmer for about 3 minutes, until the onion looks slightly translucent and begins releasing sweetness, which softens the sharp edge of the chili broth.
- 5Control
Slide in the tofu and zucchini, then simmer over medium heat for 7 minutes.
Stir only in broad, gentle motions so the tofu does not break, and cook until the zucchini edges turn translucent.
- 6Finish
Add the green onion and cheongyang chili, then boil for 2 more minutes.
Taste the broth, reduce it briefly if it feels weak, and serve hot while the green onion still smells fresh.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Chamchi jjigae relies on canned tuna oil to generate an instant savory base, enriching the spicy broth with concentrated umami without extra stock.
- Finish cue
- Stir only in broad, gentle motions so the tofu does not break, and cook until the zucchini edges turn translucent.
- Avoid this
- Do not drain the tuna oil--it adds umami to the broth.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
25min, 10 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 122 recipes
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