Name: Budae Jjigae (Army Base Stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American, Asian, Fusion
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons gochujang; 2 tablespoon soy sauce; 2 tablespoons mirin; 2 tablespoons gochugaru; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 2 ramen spice packets; 4 cloves garlic, grated; 1 cup rice cakes (sliced oval coins, fresh or frozen); 2 green onions; 1 cup kimchi; 1/4 napa cabbage; 8 ounces enoki mushrooms; 1 (4.6-ounce) can Vienna sausages, drained; 1 (12-ounce) can Spam; 12 ounces firm tofu, drained; 1/2 cup canned pork and beans or baked beans; 6 cups chicken broth; 2 packs instant ramen (preferably spicy); 1 to 2 slices American cheese; 3 cups steamed rice, optional

1 Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

2 Soak the rice cakes in cold water for at least 15 minutes to help soften them and to remove excess starch. Prepare the green onions by removing the root end and slicing on an angle into about 1/8-inch slices. Set aside for garnishing the budae jjigae at the end. Chop the kimchi into bite-size pieces. Slice the napa cabbage into bite-size pieces. Remove the base from enoki mushrooms and separate them into individual pieces, removing any excess dirt as you do this. Slice the Vienna sausages into 1/4-inch diagonal slices. Cut the Spam and tofu blocks in half and slice into 1/4-inch slices.

3 Drain the rice cakes. In a large, shallow pot or wok, artfully arrange the rice cakes, kimchi, cabbage, mushrooms, sausages, Spam, tofu, and beans around the edge, leaving the middle of the pan empty. Spoon your sauce into the middle.

4 Pour the chicken broth in around the edges and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium-high and use long chopsticks or a spoon to blend the broth and sauce together in the center. Cover with a lid and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes to warm the proteins and cook the other ingredients.

5 Remove the lid. Place the ramen noodles in the center space of the pot and cook them, ladling broth over the noodles and using chopsticks to loosen, until the ramen is soft and bouncy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

6 Add cheese slices on top of the ramen and cover until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds. Remove the lid and garnish your budae jjigae with sliced green onion. Use a ladle and tongs to serve everyone their favorite parts. Serve over hot rice, if desired. Love the recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!