Budae jjigae, literally “army base stew,” dates back to the post-Korean War era when Korean cooks stretched scarce ingredients by combining American canned goods like Spam with traditional Korean flavors such as gochujang and kimchi. This version adds ssukgat (crown daisy, also called garland chrysanthemum), a leafy green with a slightly bitter, aromatic flavor that brightens up the rich, spicy broth.
It’s a comforting, communal dish often eaten with a group, simmered right at the table on a portable burner. Perfect for a chilly evening, it pairs wonderfully with steamed rice and a side of extra kimchi. This smaller-scale version is easy to make on a stovetop for a quick weeknight dinner or a fun shared meal with friends.
Ingredients
- Canned ham (30g / about 1 oz)
- Zucchini (20g / about 2 tablespoons chopped)
- Tofu (20g / about 1 tablespoon cubed)
- Enoki mushrooms (20g / a small handful)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (5g / about 1 small pepper)
- Kimchi (30g / about 2 tablespoons chopped)
- Crown daisy (ssukgat) (4g / a small handful)
- Dried kelp (dashima) (5g / one small piece)
- Water (200g / about 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- Sugar (0.5g / a pinch)
- Gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) (4g / about 1 teaspoon)
- Minced garlic (2g / about 1/2 teaspoon)
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) (2g / about 1/2 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Slice the canned ham and blanch it briefly in boiling water.
- Cut the zucchini into half-moon slices, slice the tofu into thick pieces, cut the enoki mushrooms into three sections, and slice the cheongyang chili pepper on a diagonal.
- Rinse the kimchi and chop it into small pieces.
- Prepare the seasoning sauce by mixing the sugar, gochugaru, minced garlic, and gochujang.
- Add the water and dried kelp to a pot and bring to a gentle boil to make the broth.
- Add the prepared ingredients to the broth along with half of the seasoning sauce, and simmer over medium heat; then add the crown daisy and the remaining seasoning sauce, and simmer a bit longer over low heat to finish.
Tips & Variations
Ingredient sourcing: Cheongyang chili peppers, gochugaru, gochujang, and dried kelp (dashima) are all available at Korean or Asian grocery stores, or online. If you can’t find crown daisy (ssukgat), baby spinach or watercress can work as a substitute, though the flavor will be milder.
- Rinsing the kimchi removes some of the sour, briny liquid, giving the stew a cleaner flavor — don’t skip this step if your kimchi is very fermented.
- Use any brand of canned luncheon meat (like Spam) for the “canned ham.”
- Keep the broth simmering gently rather than at a rolling boil once the tofu and enoki go in, so they don’t fall apart.
- Add the crown daisy at the very end and cook briefly — it wilts quickly and turns bitter if overcooked.
Nutrition
- Calories: 126.3 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 9.9 g
- Protein: 6.4 g
- Fat: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 347.1 mg