Korean Military Stew

Ingredients

• 3 pieces Chicken thighs (skinless, boneless if possible)
• 10 g Kombu (dried seaweed) (cut into pieces)
• 10 g Dried anchovies (dried, for umami)
• 2 pieces Dehydrated shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated in the broth)
• 2 pieces Onion (half for the broth, one whole for the dish)
• 8 cloves Garlic (4 for the broth, 3 for the meat, 4 for the sauce (minced))
• 0.5 tsp Fine salt
• 1 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 L Water
• 100 g Ground beef (low-fat)
• 1 tbsp Cooking sake
• 1.5 tbsp Light soy sauce
• to taste Ground pepper
• 150 g White cabbage (cut into strips)
• 1 piece Green onion (scallion) (cut into sections)
• 250 g Firm tofu (cut into cubes)
• 2 pieces Knac sausages (sliced)
• 170 g Canned ham like Spam (sliced)
• 100 g Kimchi (cut into pieces)
• 250 g Korean rice cakes (tteok) (ready-to-use)
• 1 block Instant noodles (preferably sweet potato flavor)
• 1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Water (for sauce)
• 1 slice Burger cheese (to melt over the noodles)
• 200 g Cooked short-grain rice (optional, for serving)
• 200 g Canned white beans in tomato sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare the broth

   Remove the skin from the three chicken thighs, cut them into large pieces and place them in the pot. Add the kombu, dried anchovies, rehydrated shiitake, the onion cut in half, half a head of garlic, 2 L water, ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp fish sauce.

   Time: PT15M

2. Bring to a boil

   Cover the pot and heat over high heat until the liquid begins to boil vigorously.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: high

3. Simmer the broth

   Reduce the heat to medium, let simmer for 30 minutes covered. The broth should become rich and aromatic.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: medium

4. Marinate the ground beef

   In a bowl, combine 100 g ground beef, 1 tbsp cooking sake, ½ tbsp light soy sauce, ground pepper and 3 minced garlic cloves. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

5. Cut the vegetables and proteins

   Slice the cabbage into strips, dice the onion, cut the green onion into sections, cube the firm tofu, slice the knac sausages into rounds, slice the Spam, cut the kimchi into pieces and the tteok into bite-sized pieces.

   Time: PT15M

6. Prepare the seasoning sauce

   In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp gochugaru, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, pepper, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp water. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

7. Assemble the ingredients in the pot

   Remove the chicken pieces from the broth (reserve the meat). Place the cabbage, onion, and green onion at the bottom of the pot. Then add the tofu, sausages, tteok, Spam, kimchi, white beans in tomato sauce, cooked rice (if used) and finally the marinated ground beef.

   Time: PT5M

8. Pour the hot broth and bring to a boil

   Pour the filtered broth (or simply boiling water) into the pot until the ingredients are covered. Bring to a boil over high heat.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: high

9. Simmer, add sauce and cheese

   Reduce the heat to medium, let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the seasoning sauce, the burger cheese slice and the block of instant noodles. Stir gently so the cheese melts and the noodles soften.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium

10. Serve

    Remove from heat, arrange the chicken meat pieces on top, cover and let rest for 2 minutes. Each guest serves directly from the pot or in their bowl, adding hot broth as needed.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

650

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

8 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Chicken thighs: Chicken drumsticks
• Instead of Kombu (dried seaweed): Nori
• Instead of Dried anchovies: Dried sardines
• Instead of Dehydrated shiitake mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms
• Instead of Fish sauce: Salty soy sauce
• Instead of Ground beef: Ground turkey
• Instead of Cooking sake: Rice wine
• Instead of Light soy sauce: Tamari
• Instead of White cabbage: Napa cabbage
• Instead of Green onion (scallion): Chives
• Instead of Firm tofu: Extra-firm tofu
• Instead of Knac sausages: Pork sausage
• Instead of Canned ham like Spam: Cooked ham
• Instead of Kimchi: Spicy sauerkraut
• Instead of Korean rice cakes (tteok): Rice gnocchi
• Instead of Instant noodles: Ramen noodles
• Instead of Gochujang (Korean chili paste): Red chili paste
• Instead of Gochugaru (Korean chili powder): Hot paprika
• Instead of Burger cheese: Mozzarella cheese
• Instead of Cooked short-grain rice: Short-grain rice
• Instead of Canned white beans in tomato sauce: Canned lentils

Equipment Needed

• Large pot or thick-bottomed saucepan
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Mixing bowl (x3)
• Measuring spoons (tbsp and tsp)
• Ladle
• Wooden spatula
• Colander (optional)
• Pot lid

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Prepare a rich broth (steps 1‑3)
• Marinate the ground beef
• Assemble the ingredients in the correct order
• Add the spicy sauce and cheese at the right time

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high-quality kombu for pronounced umami.
• If you don't have Spam, replace with smoked cooked ham.
• Lightly toast the rice at the bottom of the bowl before serving for a crunchy texture.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 days.

Freezer: The broth and separate ingredients can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the broth the day before and refrigerate; it will develop deeper flavor.
• Cut all vegetables and store them in plastic bags in the fridge.
• The seasoning sauce keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator.