Kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew)

• 300 g Rice (short-grain white rice, to serve)
  Swaps (2)
• 300 g Tofu (firm, in 1 cm slices)
  Swaps (1)
• 1 teaspoon Soy sauce (to adjust the seasoning) (optional)
  Swaps (1)
• 1 u Onion (thinly sliced)
• 3 cloves Garlic (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (if the kimchi is very sour)
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 2 u Spring Onions (cut on the diagonal)
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Seed Oil
  Swaps (1)
• 1 tablespoon Gochujang (optional)
• 600 ml Water (or dried anchovy stock)
• 400 g Kimchi (well fermented and sour, chopped, plus 120 ml of its juice)
• 250 g Pancetta (fresh pork belly or shoulder, in thin strips)
• 1 tablespoon Gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) (to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear and cook it your usual way so it is ready when the stew is done.

2. 2

   Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat and brown the pork belly until it renders its fat and starts to crisp.

   5 min

3. 3

   Add the drained kimchi and the onion and fry, stirring, until the kimchi softens and caramelises slightly at the edges.

   6 min

4. 4

   Stir in the garlic, gochugaru and the gochujang if using, and cook for a minute so they toast in the fat.

   1 min

5. 5

   Pour in the kimchi juice and water, bring to the boil and simmer, covered, over medium heat until the broth has body. Taste: if it is very sour, add the sugar; if it needs salt, add the soy sauce.

   20 min

6. 6

   Lay the tofu slices on top without stirring, so they do not break, and cook until heated through. Add the spring onion and a drizzle of sesame oil and serve bubbling in the pot, with the rice on the side.

   5 min