Kimchi-Jjim

Ingredients

• 1¾ lbKimchiwell-aged, with its juices; whole or in large pieces
• 1¾ lbPork bellywhole slab or thick-cut; pork butt also used
• 1⅔ cupsWaterfor braising, should not fully cover the ingredients; rice-rinsing water as an alternative
• 2 tbspGarlicminced
• 1½ tbspGochugarufor colour and heat
• 1 tbspdoenjangfor savoury depth
• 1 tbspSoy saucefor seasoning
• 1 tbspSugarbalances the acidity of the aged kimchi
• 1Onionthickly sliced, layered at the bottom of the pot
• 2Green onioncut on the bias, added near the end or as garnish
• 2Green chilisliced on the bias, added near the end (optional)
• 1 tbspGingerminced into the seasoning, or sliced for parboiling the pork
• 2 tbspRice wineto marinate the meat and reduce gaminess (optional)
• Black pepperfreshly ground, for the meat
• 14⅛ ozTofusliced, shingled between the pork at the end (optional)
• 8⅛ ozRice cakesbraised along with the dish (optional)
• 1 tspSesame oildrizzled before serving (optional)

Method

1. Leave the pork belly whole or cut it into thick pieces, season it with rice wine and freshly ground black pepper and let it sit briefly.
2. If you like, parboil the meat with sliced ginger in water for 10 minutes, drain it, rinse it under cold water and clean out the pot — the pork tastes milder this way and the kimchi holds together better later on.
3. For the seasoning mixture, stir together the garlic, gochugaru, doenjang, soy sauce, sugar and minced ginger.
4. Lay the onion slices over the bottom of the pot, then layer the kimchi with its juices and the pork on top.
5. Spoon the seasoning mixture over everything and pour in the water — the ingredients shouldn't be fully covered, or your braise turns into a soup.
6. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down and braise, still covered, until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced right down.
7. Near the end, add the green onions and green chilies, both cut on the bias.
8. Lift out the meat, slice it and return it to the pot; if you like, shingle slices of tofu in between and let everything warm through for a moment.
9. Taste and adjust, drizzle with sesame oil if you want and serve with steamed rice; cut the kimchi up at the table with scissors and tongs.

Tips and variations

Instead of a whole slab of pork belly, pork butt cut into medium-thick slices works just as well. Rice-rinsing water in place of plain water gives the braising liquid more body, and rice cakes can braise along near the end. If you like your kimchi with some bite, take it out after about 20 minutes and let the pork keep cooking on its own; you can also leave the kimchi whole, trimming only the core, and skip the onion. A finish of sesame oil, green onion and sesame seeds rounds it all off — with rice, ideally Korean rice with black rice, and a few banchan alongside.