Korean Army Dish (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Main

01 - 110 g ramen noodles (instant variety)
02 - 200 g enoki mushrooms, separate stems after trimming the base
03 - 200 g king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise into thin pieces
04 - 250 g tofu, sliced into chunks about 1/2 inch thick (1.5 cm)
05 - 200 g SPAM, cut into thin slices
06 - 50 g rice cakes for soup, soak in icy water for 15 minutes if frozen
07 - 100 g shiitake mushrooms, thinly slice the caps
08 - 30 g green onion, diagonally sliced into thin strips
09 - 4 small Frankfurt sausages (150 g), slice diagonally into thin pieces
10 - 4 cups chicken broth (about 1 litre)
11 - 1/2 cup aged kimchi, chopped into small, bite-sized chunks
12 - 1 to 2 cheese slices

→ Sauce

13 - 1 Tbsp minced garlic
14 - A few dashes of ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 Tbsp sugar
16 - 2 Tbsp red chili powder (Gochugaru)
17 - 2 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
18 - 1 Tbsp soy sauce
19 - 1/2 Tbsp thick chili paste (Gochujang)

# Instructions:

01 - Stir together garlic, soy sauce, black pepper, sugar, chili powder, rice wine, and chili paste in a small bowl. Keep mixing until fully combined, then let it sit to the side.
02 - In a wide, shallow pot, place the SPAM, sliced sausages, tofu, mushrooms (all varieties), and kimchi in visually appealing sections. Drop the prepared sauce right in the middle of the layout.
03 - Pour the chicken broth carefully into a corner of your pot to avoid disturbing the layers. Cover the pot and heat over medium-high heat until it boils and starts cooking everything, about 8 minutes.
04 - When it’s boiling, throw in the green onion, rice cakes, ramen noodles, and place the cheese slices on top. Leave uncovered and cook another 2-3 minutes, just enough to soften the noodles and cakes.
05 - Turn the heat to low for serving directly at the table, especially if you’re using a burner. Scoop portions of broth, meats, and veggies into individual bowls. Pair with rice and traditional Korean sides if you’d like.

# Notes:

01 - This communal dish, 'Army Stew' or Budae Jjigae, was created after the Korean War by blending surplus U.S. military ingredients with local flavors.
02 - Choose mature kimchi to enhance the taste—it adds a richer, deeper flavor to this dish.
03 - Defrosted or frozen rice cakes should be soaked in very cold water to help them cook evenly.
04 - Traditionally, this meal is enjoyed with everyone eating directly from the shared pot in the middle of the table.

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