Vegetarian/Vegan Kimchi Jjigae

I eat Korean food all the time. I live near a lot of Korean restaurants where I am and absolutely love the array of flavors that comes from Korean food. A lot of Korean food can be spicy, including kimchi, which may make one think that it might not be great for people with IBS but kimchi is actually really great for digestion.

Fermented foods, as a whole, can help reduce the negative symptoms of IBS. So I'm a kimchi hound. I always have a container of kimchi kicking around in my fridge. There's a reason you can find sauerkraut, or even sometimes kimchi, at so many "health bowl" places.

One of my favorite things to eat with kimchi as a main ingredient is kimchi jjigae, which is a kimchi stew usually made with pork or even tuna. However, I prefer it just with tofu (which is also generally a safe IBS food).

So without further chit-chat, here is the recipe:

Makes: 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients for vegetarian or vegan kimchi jigae

• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 lb vegan cabbage kimchi drained and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup white onion, chopped
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean hot sauce)
• 1/4 cup liquid from the kimchi container
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 2 mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 pack medium-firm tofu sliced 1/2-inch thick bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru

Directions for vegetarian or vegan kimchi jigae

1. Heat the sesame oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add the kimchi, onion, and green onion. Stir and cook until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the gochujang and gochugaru. Stir until well mixed with the onion and kimchi, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the kimchi juice, vegetable stock, maple syrup. ​Give it a stir. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce to low heat and cover. Allow to simmer for up to 20 minutes.
4. Ten minutes before serving, add the mushrooms and tofu. Cover and allow to simmer until the mushrooms are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
5. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds (if using) and serve with brown or mixed rice.