Hi guys!

Today I’m going to share another Budae Jjigae recipe!

Watch the Tutorial Video First!

I’ve already shared my original Budae Jjigae recipe, so please check them out!

The one I shared before is Uijeongbu style, the north part of South Korea.

As you all know, Budae Jjigae is the food created after the Korean war.

After the Korean war, around 1954, Food was scarce in South Korea. People are living around around U.S.army posts in Uijeongbu or/and Songtan areas made use of extra foods from army posts, commonly processed meat such as spam, hot dogs, sausage, cheese, canned vegetables and more. Korean people start calling them “Budae-Gogi”, means Army Post(base) Meat.

Koreans started experiment with the Budae-Gogi as stir-fry, soup or stew.

Budae Jjigae is one of the dishes created then and still enjoyed by new generations.

What I’m about to share today is more of centra style of South Korea.

When my hubby Jacob and I went to this Songtan Budae Jjigae Restaurant, the style of Budae Jjigae was quite shock for me. Because it was very different than what I used to eat in Uijeongbu.

 

It was much simpler yet, thicker and deeper flavor.

It’s focused on the meat and spicy flavor, that was it.

Also ramen is not allowed until you eat more than half of the soup.
(They don’t accept the ramen order until you eat more than half! lol!)

Watch the Video to understand better about the Songtan Budae Jjigae Restaurant!

To make Songtan Budae Jjigae, we need to make the broth first.

Bring 3 cups of water to boil. Blench ground pork and ham for 1 minute. Take out the meat and set aside. The meat doesn’t need to be fully cooked, it will be finish cooking on the soup later!

And yes, it’s ham not spam.

They used ham instead of spam which I LOVED! It was more meager texture and slightly less salty!

Strain the meat-blenched water to a measuring cup and add more water if necessary to make 3 cups. Stir in chicken bouillon and let it deserve. Set aside.

You wouldn’t believe how much flavor this 3-minute broth has!!

Cut green onions in half leighwise then cut into 2-inch pieces.

It looks like a lot of green onions, but trust me, it needs that much!

We will need some onion too.

Just a little bit though.

Originally in Songtan, they use this Korean large green onion- we call Dae-Pa.

It’s super big and has lots of sweet flavor.
But, since we are using regular green onions that easy to find in America, we need a little help of natural sweetness.

Slice some hot dogs.

Maybe some extra too.. Because hot dogs are my FAV in Budae Jjigae!!

 

Alrighty, let’s build the Budae Jjigae Pot!

In a shallow pot, place kimchi, green onion, onion, hot dogs, blenched ham and ground pork.

Trying to place ground pork in the top of the middle, to mimic the presentation of the original pot! 😉

Sprinkle gochugaru and add soy sauce. Pour the broth and place American cheese slices right on top.

Now, I understand lots of people are not appetizing by the mixture of Korean food and cheese… but…

WE LOVE CHEESE with our food!!!

At the restaurant, I think they put 2 or 3 slices of American cheese, but that can be different to your taste though.

Cover.

Now,

It’s up to you to cook this Budae Jjigae on a table or just finish cooking in the kitchen and bring it to the table.

Though, Budae Jjigae is commonly served and cooked on the table.

Either way, bring the soup to boil and reduce heat to medium.

At this point, trying not to open the lid…

it’s just the way it is. Ok?

I wasn’t able to open it at the restaurant… Ahjumas (old ladies who works at the restaurant) will yell at me like,

“Leave the lid! Don’t open!”

when I trying to touch the lid. LOL!!

Let it simmer 5 minutes or 10 minutes (even better) if you have patient… I don’t!!

Ttir in about 2 Tablespoons of chopped garlic.

I know, I know, I know…

That’s A LOT of garlic for that little pot.

But we are cooking Korean food here.
No more questions. lol!

Don’t be shy to mix up all the garlic and cheese into the soup!

Let it simmer 5 more minutes.

Now finally you can start enjoy Budae Jjidgae!

With a BIG bowl of warm cooked white rice!!

Let it keep simmering over medium low heat while you are eating, if you are cooking on a table.

If you are finish cooking in the kitchen let it simmer 5 extra minutes then serve.

When you are about to done and only a little soup left in the pot, add more water; just enough to cook ramen.

I highly recommend Korean shin ramen, but you can use any ramen you have in your hand.

Add seasoning package if you wish.
What I like to do is taste the soup and adjust how much seasoning I’m adding to the soup.

It goes by your taste!

Bring the soup back to boil over high heat and add ramen.
Cook the ramen for 4 to 5 minutes or your desire doneness. Enjoy until the last bite!

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