Korean Stew VeganRV Style
Oh man, we had so much fun cooking this Korean Stew live on YouTube with all of you! Keep an eye on our channel for upcoming videos, live and recorded.
First off, before I get to the recipe, I need to say that this IS NOT an authentic Korean Stew recipe. We have definitely adjusted it to suit our tastes.
The original idea came from Cheap Lazy Vegan. This Korean Stew is kind of a mash-up between her Army Base Stew and Kimchi Stew if you'd like to see the original inspiration.
Versatile Recipe
Sure, this recipe tastes great or we wouldn't keep making it over and over again. And it cooks in one pot which means less clean up.
But this Korean Stew recipe is also quite versatile! Once you've made it a couple of times, you'll see that you can eyeball most of the ingredients rather than measuring them out precisely.
Much like our Spicy Garlic Stir Fry, you can also vary the vegetables to suit your tastes or use up what you have on hand. The recipe below is for the version we made in the video but it's a little bit different every time we make it. I make some suggestions for you in the recipe notes below.
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Unfamiliar Ingredients
In the video, I do go over each of the more unusual ingredients as the Korean Stew comes together. But if you don't have the patience to watch it (it's long!) here's a mini glossary:
- Dried sliced shiitake mushrooms - Dried mushrooms are a lifesaver when you live in an RV. Find them at an international market or online
- Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) - These are similar to the red pepper flakes you might already have in your spice rack but they do taste a bit different. If you want to substitute yours for the gochugaru, it won't make a huge difference, but if you plan on making this regularly it's worth getting.
- Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) - This is essential. Think of it as the Korean version of chipotle peppers made into a paste. It's not as smoky tasting though. Thankfully, we've seen this a quite a few markets like Whole Foods and Kroger. It is shelf stable before opened so you can also order online.
- Korean rice cakes - These are little chewy discs of happiness! Think of a rice noodle but 4 times as thick. You will need to pick these up at an international market or order online. In the international market, I find them either in the refrigerator or freezer section. The unused portion can be frozen and it's easy to break off what you need for your next batch of Korean Stew.
- Miso paste - Miso is a fermented paste usually made of soy beans. It adds an umami flavor to the stock. We use it in a variety of dressings and sauces in addition to this recipe so we always have it on hand. It can be found in the refrigerator section of most markets.
Okay, that's enough yammering. Let's get to the recipe!
Korean Stew
Ingredients
Stock
- 4 cups water or use prepared stock and skip the Better Than Bouillon
- 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base or your favorite instant vegetable broth or stock
- 1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1/2 red onion sliced thin then cut into 1" pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Sauce
- 1 tsp agave nectar or maple syrup, date paste or sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce or tamari
- 1/2 tbsp Gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes add more if you like it really spicy
- 1 tbsp Gochujang Korean red pepper paste
- 1/4 cup stock from above
Soup
- 1/2 cup Korean rice cakes
- 1 carrot sliced
- 1/2 cup Kimchi
- 2 baby bok choy slice thick stems then leave the rest whole
- 1 shanghai bok choy slice thick stems then leave the rest whole
- 1 cup napa cabbage cut in half lengthwise and sliced in 1" pieces
- 1/3 cup soft tofu cut into large pieces
- 2 tbsp pickled radish rinsed well in water, optional
- 1/4 cup prepared and seasoned tempeh optional
- 3 ounces soba noodles or ramen noodles or rice noodles
To finish
- 1 tsp miso paste more if needed
- 1/4 cup stock
Instructions
- Put all stock ingredients in a pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of the stock in the pot and then add the remaining sauce ingredients. Mix until smooth and then add to the stock pot.
- Add rice cakes, carrot, and kimchi to the pot and continue to simmer. After 3-4 minutes add both bok choy and the napa cabbage, cover and simmer another couple of minutes until the greens start to wilt.
- Now add the tofu, pickled radish, and tempeh. Cook for another minute or so. Add the noodles and stir well so they don't stick. Continue simmering until the noodles are done, about 4-5 minutes for soba noodles. Quick cooking noodles are best here. If there isn't enough liquid to keep the noodles covered, add a little more water.
- While the noodles are cooking, take about 1/4 cup of stock out of the pot and put in a small bowl, the same one you used for sauce earlier is fine. Add a teaspoon of miso paste and mix until smooth. Add back into stew and stir.
- Taste for seasoning. Add more red pepper flakes if you want it spicier. If it needs more depth of flavor, add more miso paste mixture or Bragg Liquid Aminos. When the noodles are done it's ready to eat!
Video
Notes
I know this Korean Stew recipe is outside the comfort zone for some of you. If you have any questions, drop them in a comment and we'll be happy to try to answer! And if you give this recipe a try, we would love your feedback!
