Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae)

300 g skinless pork belly

1 large handful Kimchi 

30g small onion,rough slices 

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 

2 spring onion,half  thinly sliced, half chunky sliced

6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and quartered (keep the soaking liquid)

200 g firm tofu, sliced into 1cm thick rectangles

1L chicken stock

1 sheet kombu, soaked in water (dashi) 

The Marinade

½ tsp coarse ground black pepper

2 capfuls mirin

The Sauce

2 tbsp gochugaru (korean chilli flakes)

½ tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce

Chop the pork into chunks and place in a pot of boiling water. Cook for 5 mins until the scum or fat from the pork floats up to the surface. Remove from the water and chop up into smaller chunks now. Marinate the pork in a bowl with the  mirin and black pepper. 

Chop up the kimchi roughly. Mix up the sauce, adding some of the marinade and the kimchi juice to it.

Add oil to a thick pot, and add the pork belly. Next layer in the onions, garlic and chunky bits of spring onion. Next add the mushrooms and kimchi. This will add some liquid to the pot, so turn up to a medium heat and get it to a sizzle to evaporate some of the liquid. Now turn up to a high heat for 2 mins and add the tofu and the sauce. Let it bubble up and caramelise a little , then add the mushroom soaking water, chicken stock and dashi. Simmer on a low heat for 45 mins.