How to Make Budae Jjigae | Eric Kim's Korean Essentials | NYT Cooking

“In my family, especially, budae jjigae is a feast.” Eric Kim is a cooking columnist, cookbook author and son of South Korean immigrants. He shared the 10 essential Korean dishes that, for him, define the cuisine, and budae jjigae had to be on the list. Budae jjigae, which translates to “army base stew” and whose ingredients are made up of leftover army rations, tells many stories: of the Korean War, of resilience and of survival.



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[amber]

"It's a dish that has many ghosts" This statement really resonated with me. Traditional recipes, or any recipe that you can consider your family recipe, hold so many stories behind them, for both the past generations and the current one. For example, my family has five spice and hoisin roast chicken and potatoes recipe passed down from my great-grandmother, which resulted from a need to feed her family cheaply during the Great Depression while still incorporating familiar flavors. My memories of this dish come from my childhood when my grandmother would let me "sneak" a drippings-soaked roasted potato before any of my siblings or whip this up as a (much welcomed) surprise dinner delivered to her friends in her neighborhood. A dish created out of necessity during hard times has now become a nostalgic comfort dish for me. Thank you, Eric, for a wonderful, thoughtful exploration of how food, history, and the personal are so closely intertwined.

[ChriPhenix]

Eric is my favorite. His voice is so calming and I love the way he talks about food and his inspirations in making it.

[KarenInCalif]

I like this young man so much. He presents his recipes beautifully. I love the way he speaks so lovingly and warmly about his heritage.

[jmanuo]

growing up in a Samoan family, we ate canned corned beef and spam. it was just what grandma made for her army of kids and grandkids (rip Fa'Asamoa xoxo). it wasn't until recently (I am now 35), that I learned the history behind canned meat to the polynesian islands and it hit me just like this. I used to turn up my nose at it until i knew. Until I knew that it was just a form of survival in those ugly dark times. thank you for sharing and I'll add this to my next dish adventure.

[sharonyang]

i LOVE budae jigae. I went into this korean restaurant once in NYC and I was used to eating things like doenjang jigae, kimchi jigae and soondubu so i wanted to try something different. it blew my i love when they put glass noodles in it too. I love Eric's videos because of how it shows that passion doesn't always mean this huge burst of energy but it's just in the words used and the heart just comes out naturally. I also love the way that he feeds the people behind the scenes or asks them if they want to try things that he has out. It makes things feel more relaxed and casual! Love you Eric!

[prettybigloser]

I didn't think I'd be shedding a tear watching a "How to Make Budae Jigae" video but here we are. You're awesome Eric, love your passion!!! <3

[NayoMovies]

I LOVE and appreciate this video so much. As a Korean Canadian who loooves food, I can relate to the passion i hear when you talk about korean ingredients and also the diasporic blues of not being korean enough to koreans and not enough for and of course Budeh Chigae is always such a hot spicy salty treat!

[vinceypoo]

Eric is the best!! His recipes always have so much soul and love! His cookbook is great.

[danielw]

Beautiful tribute to your culture and cuisine. Heartfelt, emotional, and sincere.

[amandagregg]

What a great writer. He said so much in this short video. Eric Kim is awesome.

[suzansim]

Love budaejjigae on chilly rainy days. It just has something about it that warms up your spirit ;)

[ageeksadventureswoohoo]

This was a wonderful ep. Ty for sharing all of this. Its a reminder of how complex human history is and it's reflection on food.

[freefallah]

Been following Eric in the food space (NYT, Food52, now a bestselling cookbook author!!) for years now and really admire his work ethic and success. This looks so good!!

[lisavaccaro]

I’m half Korean and so very happy to see this! Thank you!

[akirebara]

Asians in general show their love to you through food. It's kind of a unifying story for any Asian to exchange stories about how their moms or dads were not really verbal but would always cook your favorite food when you're sick or feeling sad. It's also a joy for the parents because as much as they didn't know about it, they were teaching their kids the love language of acts of service.
So when Eric said "I can't wait to feed everyone here, " it brought such a big smile to my face because he was showing his appreciation to the crew, as well as putting his accomplishment but still being of service to the people around him.

[umiluv]

I like to make mine with some pork belly fried up first. Then I brown the smoked baby sausage and spam. Then I add sour kimchi. This is almost like making kimchi jjigae. Then I add sliced onion and cabbage (I hate cooked daikon). And then the water to cover the veg. Add the flavorings - I buy budae jjigae paste to make it easy. And then you bring to a boil and then simmer. I add Kraft American cheese - 2-3 slices to bring a richness to the broth. And ramen noodles are optional. Serve with rice.

[Jule]

I love this clip! Thank you for shining a light on our beloved cuisine. ♥️♥️♥️

[wesleychaffin]

One of my favorite dishes. I always add tteok and extra cheese, which gives the broth a great texture

[jmudikun]

I've been making this with my extra fermented kimchi forever. It was nice to hear the back story to this 😍😍😍

[SpiralBreeze]

I once watched a video of Anthony Bourdain cooking this for Anderson Cooper who was beside himself with incredulity.