The Nine Lives of Kimchi - Recipe for Kimchi Bokum

Kimchi Bokum (Stir-Fried Kimchi) | www.kimchimom.com

I was away for about two weeks on “vacation”…though not really a vacation when you’re flying and driving all over the place with two small kids. Anyway, two weeks was plenty of time for the kimchi in my fridge to reach perfect “sourness” for its starring role in either jigae (soupy stew) or bokum (stirfry). Typically I would make kimchi jigae, but this time I was in the mood for some kimchi bokum. I don’t have a fail-safe recipe, but it’s good enough to satiate my kimchi craving. I actually made this dish twice in two days. The first batch was VERY disappointing and if you can believe it, it was the blandest kimchi bokum ever made. I made the mistake of adding silken tofu and not seasoning the pork. The tofu made it too watery – it became a cross between a bokum and a jigae. But the big mistake was not seasoning the pork. I just assumed that the fatty goodness would provide enough flavor. Enh…not so much. I probably should’ve browned it a little more than I did before adding the kimchi. Regardless, it was a failure. I did cheat a little and referred to my library of Korean cookbooks and found a recipe to use as a base for my second batch.

The second batch was more successful. Definitely tastier with a better balance between tangy and sweet. Here is what I did the second time around…

Kimchi Bokum

Kimchi (enough for 4 servings), roughly sliced to be the same size as the pork slices
1 med. onion, thinly sliced
vegetable oil
1 lb. Pork belly (I bought my presliced – it looks like bacon, but not cured or smoked), cut into 1-inch strips
2(ish) T. gochujang (red pepper paste)
1(ish) T. sesame oil
2 green onions, thinly sliced
sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a bowl, mix gochujang, sesame oil, green onions, sesame seeds and garlic with the pork belly. Make sure the pork is thoroughly coated. Rinse kimchi, drain and squeeze as much liquid out as you can. Set aside. Saute onions in oil over medium high heat. Once softened or translucent, add pork and saute until cooked through. I like to cook it enough until a crust (fond) forms on the pan. Add the kimchi and cook for about 3 minutes. Add about an 1/8 cup water and let simmer for another few minutes.

This was obviously all for me and I enjoyed every bite. Let me know if you have a good recipe for kimchi bokum!

Comments

Rachel says

December 11, 2009 at 9:19 PM

yum. i always look forward to the kimchi when we go out for korean food. guess i could take a deep breath and try making it myself sometime!where did you guys go? home to visit family?
fellou says

September 7, 2012 at 7:40 AM

I live in Leipzig, Germany, and know the owners/cooks of a Korean restaurant – their Kimchi Bokum is SO delicious I’d like to try it for myself with your recipe. Thanks for making this recipe available! Is there a reason why the Kimchi has to be squeezed so the liquid comes out if you add water in the end anyway? I’m sure there’s a reason for the process, but it’s just not clear to me right now. I would love to hear from you about this, thank you!
- kimchi_mom says
  
  September 13, 2012 at 12:14 AM
  
  Good question! I had to re-read my recipe since I wrote it over 3 years ago! I did it so that the kimchi caramelizes a little faster when there is little liquid. I should probably revise this recipe to exclude the last step since I’ve been making it without the water since then! Have your chef friends shown you how they make their kimchi bokum?
Dave says

September 28, 2013 at 8:57 AM

Have you ever made Kimchi Bokum with pieces of rice cage in the mix. The Korean restaurant we loved in Boston used to make it that way and places around Charlotte don’t. I was curious how to include them in the recipe.

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