Kimchi Nabe Recipe

Kimchi Nabe (キムチ鍋) is a hot pot dish popular in winter in Japan.  That’s right, it is Kimchi in Nabe just like the Korean hot pot dish, Kimch Jjigae.  Kimchi Nabe has been popular in Japan for a long time, and evolved as their own version of Kimch Jjigae. It is mildly spicy, but it is hot temperature-wise of course, making it a great family dinner on a cold winter night.

Nabe are hot pot dishes (called Nabemono or simply Nabe) in which fish or other kinds of meat and vegetables are cooked in unseasoned fish broth and dipped in tangy Ponzu sauce, or cooked in seasoned broth without dipping sauces.  It is cooked in a ceramic pot called Donabe, right at the dinner table using a portable gas stove, and we eat it as we cook.  Kimchi Nabe is seasoned with Kimchi which is packed with complicated flavors already, but we also add some Miso paste and Sake to deepen the taste.  Dashi, of any kind, instead of mere hot water as a base of the soup can give more Umami (savory flavor), so there are multiple layers of flavors even before adding any vegetables and meat.

Cooking this is super easy.  Cut everything, and bring it to the table.  You can use a portable gas stove and a pot or a convenient electric hot pot if you have it.  Cook meat and vegetables in the soup as you go.  At the end of the meal, some people may say that it is the best part, cooked rice or noodles (like Udon or egg noodles) or even Mochi (!) can be added to Nabe. They will absorb the wonderful soup and become a tasty dish of its own. So never throw away the soup after Nabe!

Use any kinds of vegetables and meat you like.  If you can’t find Nira (Chinese chive), use spinach.  Root vegetables such as carrots, Daikon radish, and Gobo (burdock root) work wonderfully in this Nabe.  Use sliced beef or chicken pieces instead of pork if you prefer.  Enjoy this warm tasty Nabe with your family this winter!

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5 from 1 vote

Kimchi Nabe Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: hot pot, Kimchi

Servings: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• 1/4-1/3 Nappa cabbage
• 2-3 long white onions
• 1 bunch Nira Chinese chive
• 1 bunch Shimeji mushrooms
• 1 bunch Enoki mushrooms
• 1 package Tofu medium hard
• 1 lb pork, sliced very thinly 460 g
• 3 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cups Kimchi drained, saving the liquid if any
• 6 cups Dashi 1500 ml
• 1/4 cup Miso paste
• 3 Tbsp Sake
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Cut Nappa cabbage into bite size pieces. Slice long white onions diagonally. Cut Nira into 2″ long pieces. Pull apart mushrooms into small bunches by hand. Cut Tofu into 8-10 pieces. Cut thinly sliced pork into smaller pieces if too big.
• In a large pot, heat sesame oil at medium heat. Add Kimchi and cook for a couple of minutes. Add Dashi and Kimchi liquid. When the soup starts to boil, add Miso paste, Sake, and salt to taste.
• Then add all the vegetables except Nira. Cook covered until vegetables are tender. Add sliced pork, and lastly Nira.

Video