Korean Dried Pollock Napa Stew
Quick answer
This stew pairs dried pollock strips with napa cabbage for a mild, comforting bowl built on clean, unhurried flavors.
What makes this special
- Hwangtae baechu jjigae softens dried pollock and sweet napa cabbage into a mild, comforting bowl finished with a fragrant touch of toasted sesame oil.
- Brief soaking loosens dried pollack fibers before boiling for better extraction
- Napa cabbage sweetness as it cooks provides the backdrop for pollack's savoriness
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 90g dried pollock strips into 5cm pieces and dip them in cold water for only 30 seconds.
- 2 Cut 350g napa cabbage into 3cm pieces, and slice 140g zucchini a little thick so it holds its shape.
- 3 Warm 1 teaspoon perilla oil in a pot over medium heat.
This stew pairs dried pollock strips with napa cabbage for a mild, comforting bowl built on clean, unhurried flavors. The pollock releases a savory, slightly sweet depth into the broth as it rehydrates during cooking. Soaking the pollock briefly in water before adding it loosens the stiff fibers and helps the broth extract faster. The cabbage softens slowly and adds its own natural sweetness, while firm tofu and zucchini round out the ingredients with body and texture. A touch of perilla oil lends a nutty fragrance to the finished bowl. Seasoned simply with soup soy sauce, it works well as a hangover remedy or a light weekday meal that settles the stomach.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut 90g dried pollock strips into 5cm pieces and dip them in cold water for only 30 seconds.
Press out the moisture gently with your hands, but do not soak them longer or the texture will turn too soft.
- 2Control
Cut 350g napa cabbage into 3cm pieces, and slice 140g zucchini a little thick so it holds its shape.
Slice 220g firm tofu into 1cm pieces and keep it separate so it does not break before simmering.
- 3Control
Warm 1 teaspoon perilla oil in a pot over medium heat.
Add the pollock strips and stir for about 1 minute, just until the color looks slightly brighter and a nutty aroma rises from the pot.
- 4Control
Pour in 1.2L water and bring it to a full boil over high heat.
Add the napa cabbage and zucchini, lower to medium heat, and simmer for 10 minutes until the cabbage turns partly translucent and sweetens the broth.
- 5Control
Stir in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce so they disperse evenly in the broth.
Add the tofu, then simmer quietly for 6 minutes without stirring hard with a spoon, which can break the pieces.
- 6Finish
Add 50g green onion sliced on the diagonal and simmer for just 2 more minutes.
Turn off the heat, let the stew rest for 2 minutes, then serve hot when the broth looks clear and the cabbage is tender.
After the steps
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