Finished dish photo of Korean Kimchi Soup

Korean Kimchi Soup

Super easy to make, incredibly appetizing soup. My all-time favorite, no cooking skills or experience needed, anyone can nail it. A bowl full of soup, rich in vegetables, absolutely tempting.

Ingredients

Pork Bellyappropriate amount
Kimchiappropriate amount
Onionappropriate amount
Rice Rinse Waterappropriate amount
Bean Sproutsappropriate amount
Zucchinihalf
Tofuhalf block
Shiitake Mushroomssix pieces
Soybean Pasteone spoon
Spicy Pastehalf spoon
Shredded Gingera little
Minced Garlica little
Chili Powdera little
Saltappropriate amount
Sesame Oila little

Steps

1

Cut the tofu into cubes, remove the seeds in the zucchini and slice it, slice the shiitake mushrooms, cut the kimchi into small pieces, dice the pork belly, thinly slice the onion, mince the garlic, and shred the ginger.

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2

Heat oil in a pot, sauté minced garlic, shredded ginger, and pork belly slowly.

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3

When the pork belly releases its fat, add chili powder and stir-fry.

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4

Add kimchi and onions and continue stir-frying.

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5

Pour in rice rinse water and bring it to a boil over high heat.

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6

Add half a spoon of spicy paste. You can use less if you prefer less spicy food.

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7

Add a spoon of soybean paste.

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8

Add the prepared vegetables and tofu. Once it boils, reduce the heat and simmer. Once the vegetables are cooked, season with a bit of salt, add a little sesame oil, and it's ready to serve!

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9

These are the spicy paste and soybean paste I used, they are Korean.

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Cooking Tips

After browsing many recipes, I made some improvements. You can adjust the vegetables according to your preference. If you have rice rinse water, the soup will taste richer. If not, plain water will work fine. When buying kimchi, choose one with some liquid for better flavor. If the kimchi at home has become sour over time, using it for kimchi soup, stir-fried potatoes, or fried rice works even better than fresh ones. Kimchi can be messy to handle on a cutting board, so here's a little trick I learned on social media: wear disposable gloves and cut it with scissors directly, this way it won't spread everywhere.