- Live Naturally Magazine

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When I’m hankering for big spices that will knock my socks off, this stew is my go-to. It’s alive with heat and fermented kimchi, which together will kick your immune system into high gear.

Course: Soup

Keyword: kimchi, stew, tofu, tofu stew

Servings:

Author: Sarah Copeland

Equipment

Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless stew meat (pork, beef or lamb), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups kimchi, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms (see Cook's Note)
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chile paste) or sambal oelek (garlic-chile paste)
Pinch of coconut sugar or dark brown sugar
8 ounces semi-firm tofu, drained
Fine sea salt
4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced; or pea shoots or other microgreens

Instructions

Combine the meat, kimchi, broth, onion, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, chile paste, and coconut sugar in the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Lock on the lid and Pressure Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Release the pressure naturally (if time allows, for maximum tenderness) or manually.
Meanwhile, cut the tofu into ½- to 1-inch cubes. Open the lid. Stir in the tofu, place the lid back on, and let sit on the Keep Warm setting until the tofu is warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Open the lid. Taste and season with salt as needed. Spoon the stew into bowls and top with the scallions.

Notes

Cook's Note: No Mushrooms? No Problem: Let’s say you have a hankering for kimchi soup, but you don’t have dried mushrooms at home. You can get away with skipping them for the beef or lamb version, but don’t skip the mushrooms on the vegetarian version—they’re needed for body and flavor here.