Gettin’ Jjigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

Ok.  Are you looking at the pic above and thinking WHAAAT?  Hot dogs? Spam? Kimchi? VanCamps BAKED Beans? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It’s like Mom pulling things out of the fridge and the pantry to make dinner… in the 1960s.  But stay with me, these are actually the building blocks for Anthony Bourdain’s version of Budae Jjigae or Army Stew.  A crazy concoction created during the Korean War when food was scarce and the US Army PX was ground zero for processed foods like SPAM and hot dogs-cheap, available protein.  Combined with familiar Korean ingredients, a not so healthy but totally delicious, comforting stew was born.

Anthony Bourdain’s mischevious side was in overdrive when he decided to make this dish for Anderson Cooper. He thoroughly enjoyed watching Anderson squirm as he popped open the can of SPAM, container of kimchi, hot dogs, rice cakes, plopped them in a pan and added a generous dollop of Gochujang or Korean pepper paste on top.  Anchovy stock is poured over this bed of deliciousness and set to simmer for 30 minutes. A pack of INSTANT RAMEN is added at the very end. Ten minutes later Bourdain was doing a happy dance while slurping his noodles. So was an amazed Anderson.  Catch the episode here, watch it, smile and remember his wicked sense of humor, his intellect and his ability to never take himself too seriously. Then go make your family a pot of Budae Jjigae to fill your tummy, warm your soul and comfort your heart.

This dish is like that bad boy you were always crazy about in high school, knew you should stay away from but just couldn’t.  My favorite line in the clip is when he says to Anderson, “it seems so wrong but taste so right, like true love”. Budae Jjigae is right up my alley, processed meats, fermented vegetables, ground meats and instant ramen noodles, yum.  I grew up on baloney sandwiches on white bread, Fizzies as the fruit in my lunch, Spaghetti out of a can, thanks to Chef Boyardee, and Friday night Swanson’s TV dinners.  In college, I survived on instant ramen and Banquet frozen fried chicken.  Those were the days.

Just before serving, place a slice of American cheese right on top so it melts and oozes all over your ramen.  That literally takes it over the top.  Thank you, David Chang, for that addition.

Tips for your Budae Jjigae

Use Korean instant ramen, my favorite brand, Shin Ramen.  If you don’t make Budae Jjigae, at least try the instant noodles. Use the seasoning packet and up your ramen game with an egg cracked into your bowl of noodles (the soup will cook it) and topped with a Kraft single (uh-huh you all know what I am talking about, real cheese food).  You end up with a pretty fine bowl of totally unhealthy but ridiculously yummy noodles.  To appease your conscious add some veggies, corn, peas, kimchi or shredded lettuce.

If you can find it, use Vienna Sausages (those old enough know EXACTLY what I am talking about, mini hot dogs in a flip top can) in place of hot dogs.

Rice cakes (tokbokki) come either tubular or disc shape, either will work.  You can find them at Korean markets, along with kimchi, Gochujang and pepper flakes.

In place of anchovy stock you can use Japanese dashi or broth.

Have plenty of beer on hand to wash it all down and to toast the life of Mr. Bourdain.

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Gettin’ JJigae with Anthony Bourdain (Korean Army Stew)

Ingredients

• 1 dried shiitake mushroom
• 4 large dried anchovies heads and guts removed, wrapped in cheesecloth
• One 3 × 5-inch sheet dried edible kelp or konmbu Use Japanese dashi in place of anchovy stock
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 12 ounces SPAM cut into ½-inch- thick slices
• 1½ cups Napa cabbage kimchi tongbaechu drain
• 8 ounces sliced Korean rice cakes
• 1 white onion peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 scallions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
• 3 hot dogs thinly sliced
• 6-8 ounces ground pork
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean fermented chili paste
• 3 tablespoons medium/fine gochugaru ground Korean red pepper he uses a dash only I used about a teaspoon, he did not come close to 3 T in the video...trust me start small
• 3 tablespoons cheongju Korean rice wineor Chinese rice wine of Sake
• 3 tablespoons canned baked beans
• 1 package ramen noodles preferably the Korean brand Shin, seasoning packet discarded

Instructions

• To make the anchovy broth, combine the mushroom, anchovies, kelp, 4 cups water, and the salt in a medium, heavy-bottom pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain and discard the solids, and set the broth aside.
• Place the SPAM, kimchi, rice cakes, onion, scallions, garlic, hot dogs, and pork in small separate piles in a large shallow pot.
• Add the soy sauce, gochujang, gochugaru, and cheongju to the pot, then slowly pour in the reserved anchovy kelp broth. Add the baked beans and 1½ cups water. Bring the contents to a steady simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
• Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the ramen noodles. Ladle the broth over the noodles to help them break apart. Continue to cook for 2 or 3 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through but still chewy.