If you seek a wallop of flavor and a jolt of heat to propel you over winter’s finish line, make a steaming pot of umami-rich soup. This fragrant and nourishing bowl provides a welcome pick-me-up during the winter season (or any season, for that matter). Add to that a roster of healthy ingredients, and you have the recipe for a satisfying and fortifying one-pot meal.
This recipe is inspired by Korean kimchi jjigae, or kimchi soup. If any bowl of soup can scream umami, this is it. It’s spicy, smoky, and intoxicatingly aromatic, thanks to its roster of ingredients. Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable condiment (good for your digestion) and is usually made with cabbage, ginger, and garlic. It adds a potent and fiery bite to the gochujang-laced broth. Gochujang is a miso-like fermented soybean and hot pepper paste thickened with glutinous rice, which adds murky, smoky sweetness and an extra kick of heat to the bowl. Shiitake mushrooms complete the umami bonanza, delivering rich flavor and nutrients to this heady and nourishing soup.
