Budae Jjigae - a Dish from the War

Love sausages? Want something spicy and tasty, especially on a chilly day? Then, Budae Jjigae is a good choice.

Budae Jjigae is a type of jjigae (a thick Korean stew) popular in Korea. It is made with sliced sausages, ham, tofu, kimchi, vegetables like onions, and of course, gochujang (red pepper paste). The dish is often served with ramen noodles. You can also put tteok (rice cake), baked beans, and mushrooms.

Budae Jjigae, in fact, has a sad story. It came during the Korean War. At that time, Koreans had little food. People made this dish using leftover Spam and hot dogs from the U.S. Army in Korea. That is how it got its name. ¡®Budae¡¯ means ¡®a military unit¡¯ in Korean. They put these sausages and ham with water in a boiling pot to make the dish.

The dish is also called ¡®Johnson Tang.¡¯ It¡¯s because Johnson is one of the common names in America and ¡®tang¡¯ means soup in Korean.

The city of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do, just north of Seoul is famous for its Budae Jjigae. This is why some restaurants call their dish ¡®Uijeongbu Budae Jjigae.¡¯

Budae Jjigae can be easily made in your home. Check your kitchen. If you see some sausages, ham, ramen, kimchi, and some gochujang, then you are ready. Take out your pot and enjoy your own Budae Jjigae today!