Korean Soybean Sprout Stew
Quick answer
- Total time
- 25 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Soybean sprout jjigae is a spicy home-style stew built around kongnamul, with tofu and pork adding substance to a broth seasoned with gochugaru and soup soy sauce.
Read more
The sprouts release their own clean, slightly sweet liquid as they cook, and that natural base broth combines with the heat of the chili flakes to produce the sharp, refreshing character the dish is best known for. A critical technique rule applies to the sprouts: once the lid is placed, it should not be lifted during cooking. If the lid is removed and steam escapes, the sprouts develop an unpleasant grassy smell that cannot be reversed. If the lid is accidentally opened, the only correction is to leave it off and continue cooking without it until the end. Tofu absorbs the broth and provides a soft contrast to the crunchy sprouts, while the pork contributes fat and savory depth that enriches the broth. Green onion and minced garlic add aroma, and cracking a beaten egg into the pot as the broth comes to a full boil creates soft egg pieces throughout. The whole dish comes together in under twenty minutes from start to finish, making it a practical weeknight soup.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Rinse 200g of soybean sprouts and drain them well so the broth stays clean.
Cut 100g of tofu into 2cm pieces, then slice 1 stalk of green onion diagonally and keep it ready for the finish.
- 2Control
If using pork, add 100 g to the pot and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.
If omitting it, pour part of the 600 ml water into the pot first.
- 3Season
Add 1 tablespoon gochugaru and stir for only 30 seconds.
If omitting the pork, dissolve the gochugaru in the water already in the pot, then add 1.5 tablespoons soup soy sauce and 1 tablespoon minced garlic.
- 4Control
Pour in the remaining water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Scrape the bottom once to loosen the seasoning and wait until the broth boils vigorously.
- 5Control
Add the soybean sprouts, cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Do not lift the lid during this time, since steady steam reduces the raw smell and turns the stems slightly translucent.
- 6Control
Open the lid, add the tofu, and simmer for 2 more minutes without covering again.
Add the sliced green onion and turn off the heat when the tofu is tinted red and the sprouts are still crisp.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Crunchy soybean sprouts and pork shoulder build the base for this spicy kongnamul jjigae.
- Finish cue
- Do not lift the lid during this time, since steady steam reduces the raw smell and turns the stems slightly translucent.
- Avoid this
- Keep the lid on while soybean sprouts cook to avoid a fishy smell from escaping steam.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
25min, 8 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 122 recipes
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