Sunday, November 4, 2012

left over kimchi... let's make soup!


this is my take on kimchi soup / stew in my household.
i am no chef or expert in korean cooking-- this is our ghetto version.
it varies depending on what veggies we have around...
experiment and try different stuff!

the original recipe base came from my cousin, 
but our family is full of modifiers!


KIMCHI STEW / SOUP

(once again, no exact measurements!)

 





ingredients
(DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THEM IF YOU WANT)

     
  • 1 to 2 cups of kimchi from your favorite market
    (you can chop it into bite-sized pieces if you prefer. do 
    not drain!)
  • trader joe's beefless strips
    (or your fave mock beef or pork strips)
  • a small onion, diced 
  • sliced shiitake mushroom
    (i like two packages of fresh shiitakes, or portabella when i can't find shiitake!)
  • minced garlic cloves
    (i use about 4 or 5)
  • approx. 1/2 cup of scallions.
    (chop them into 1/2" chunks or slice them into coins. it is up to you.)
  • ginger to taste
    (you can use fresh or dried.  we use dried mostly for this... about 1 to 1/2 tsp)
  • water
    (it depends on how thick you want it. i usually add enough to coat everything-- about 1 and 1/2 cups to 2 cups of kimchi-- and make a more stew-like dish.  some people use a 2 part water to one part kimchi ratio)
  • a package of tofu, cubed or sliced
    (i personally like using firm tofu, but feel free to use silken) 
  • mirin to taste
    (sweet taste, start of with a tablespoon)
  • rice vinegar to taste
    (sour taste, start off with a tablespoon)
  • soy sauce or braggs  to taste
    (salty taste, start off with a 1/2 tablespoon. sometimes the kimchi you get can be really salty!)
  • sriracha or other hot sauce to taste
  • red pepper flakes, optional
  • optional veggies: zucchini, sprouts, fresh napa cabbage, daikon, carrots, hot peppers, etc


directions
  • drain your kimchi, but keep the juice in a separate bowl! YOU NEED THE JUICE!
  • in your soup pot, sauteed your onion in sesame oil. add the garlic, and beef-less strips. 
  • add the shiitake mushrooms and juice from your kimchi to the saute. add any other veggies here as well.
  • add your water.
  • add ginger, mirin, rice vinegar, and soy sauce to the pot. adjust these ingredients as you wish.
  • stir until everything is well combined! 
  • bring to a boil. 
  • taste! add sriracha to your liking. i like it super spicy! you can also add your optional red pepper flakes.
  • add the tofu and simmer until everything is flavorful and the kimchi is tender.
  • ladle into bowls and top with scallions.  yum!





24 comments:

  1. Um...this sounds absolutely delicious Maria! Thanks for sharing...the best recipes come from experimenting ;)

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  2. I never eat kimchi before.. >.<
    Thankss for sharing :D

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  3. Wow I love kimchi! Have always ordered this when I have Korean cuisine :) Thanks for this great recipe.

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  4. Sounds yummy and really worth to try by myself!

    Thank you for sharing!

    ksyshenka(at)yahoo(dot)com



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  5. Sounds delicious! I once tried to make kimchi myself, but it was ... I think I got something wrong with the recipe, it was so hot, so as to be impossible to eat!:)

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  6. Ahaha, I actually love kimchi, even though I'm not always fond of spicy things. It just has this taste...yum.

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  7. Sounds good! You can never go wrong with soup! I could live off of the stuff. Especially Dutch Pea Soup

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  8. sounds delicious. and i am glad there is no pictures that would make me feel hungry :)

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  9. I like how you randomly use leftovers to make a brilliant soup. My cooking style is very similar. Use what you have and create something special!

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  10. yum yum! I love kimchi!!!

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  11. ohhh. I love anything with kimchi~~ gotta try ^A^

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  12. I love Kimchi so much, my families like too...
    I will try it at home soon..
    Thanks...

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  13. I DO NOT like Kimchi, lol But this recipe looks really good. I LOVE asian food so maybe just maybe I will try it... LOL Thanks for sharing, :)

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  14. I've never had Kimchi before, but this recipe sounds incredibly tasty. Think I might take the plunge.

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  15. sounds good and healthy... never tried this before... thanks for sharing

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  16. The soba noodles sound really good, but I had to laugh when you said spiral slice the carrots. While I have a spiral slicer I think my husband would look at me funny and ask me what got into me if I ever gave him spiral sliced anything. Ya know, he's a man and that just too fancy smacy for him!

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    Replies
    1. he will never know! cut a notch into your carrot and spiral slice-- everytime it hits the notch it will cut off... so you are left with long, thin, bite-sized strands! you can also just spiral slice the whole thing without notching, then cut it into bite sized pieces.. beats julienne-ing!

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  17. This looks like such a good tasting recipe and so healthy! Nice hearty meal for a cold winter day. Thank you for this recipe :)

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