Kimchi jjigae (김치찌개), listed as Kimchi jigae on our menu, is a spicy Korean stew made with kimchi, pork and tofu. At Han Kitchen in Zurich-Oerlikon it costs CHF 32.00 – served in our restaurant on Baumackerstrasse 46 or packed to take away when you order by phone.
What is kimchi jjigae?
In Korean cooking, a jjigae is a hearty, fairly thick stew – more substantial than a soup but lighter than a braise. Kimchi jjigae is the best known of them and, for many Koreans, the very taste of home cooking.
It is built on kimchi: fermented vegetables, usually napa cabbage seasoned with chilli, garlic and ginger. Cooks traditionally use well-aged, slightly sour kimchi, which releases its tang and heat into the broth as it simmers and gives the stew real depth.
Our kimchi jjigae with pork and tofu
At Han Kitchen we make the stew with pork and tofu, as listed on our menu. The pork comes from Switzerland. The meat gives the broth body, while the tofu soaks it up and adds a soft, mellow contrast to every spoonful.
Kimchi jjigae is marked as spicy on our menu. If you love Korean heat, this is your dish; if you are sensitive to chilli, japchae or bibimbap may be a gentler start.
Stew, stir-fry or house special?
Kimchi appears in several of our dishes, each time in a different form: simmered into this stew, stir-fried with marinated pork belly in Kimchi Jeyuk Bokkeum (CHF 32.90), and stir-fried with fresh salmon in the Han Kitchen Special (CHF 35.90). Pick the jjigae when you want something warming to eat with a spoon, especially on a chilly Zurich evening.
How do you eat kimchi jjigae?
In Korea, kimchi jjigae traditionally arrives at the table bubbling hot and is eaten with rice – a spoonful of stew, then a bite of rice. It is usually made with well-fermented kimchi, which gives the stew its bold, tangy depth. Our kimchi jigae is marked as spicy on the menu.
If there are two of you, it is worth pairing the stew with a dish without heat, such as japchae (CHF 28.90) or so bulgogi (CHF 36.90). The Japanese-style green salad (CHF 8.50) makes a cool contrast to the hot stew.
Takeaway or eat in
Call 077 268 20 80 to order kimchi jjigae for collection during our opening hours, or just walk in. We do not deliver. The stew is at its best piping hot at the table, so if you have time, book a table online or by phone and enjoy it with us in Oerlikon.
