Recipe

Serves: 2 | Time: <30 min

This recipe makes for a punchy stew with concentrated flavours and a bit of kick. This is my preference but for a milder flavour you can dilute it further, topping up with an additional 500ml (~2 cups) of stock or water.

Ingredients

For the sauce base

• 2 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp gochujang

Broth

• 500 ml chicken stock (~2 cups)

Main ingredients

• 200g of baked beans (7oz)
• 1/2 can of spam, sliced (100g | ~3.5oz)
• 200g mushrooms of choice (~1/2lb), I had that day: oyster, king oyster and chestnut
• 100g tofu, diced (~3.5oz)
• 1 to 2 packs of instant noodles (noodles only)
• 2 slices of American singles cheese
• Spring onion (scallion) to top

Method

1. Gather your ingredients.

2. Make the sauce: mix all sauce base ingredients together (chili flakes, sugar, mirin, soy sauce, gochujang).

3. Prepare the main ingredient:

1. Cut oyster mushrooms in half lengthwise
2. Cut shitake mushroom caps in quarter
3. Cut spam in thin slices (about 1/4inch or 1/2cm thick)
4. Dice tofu

4. Place baked beans, spam, mushrooms and tofu in a saucepan.

5. Add sauce base and stock. Add extra water to cover if needed.

6. Place lid on top and bring to a boil (it should take about 8min on medium high heat). Meanwhile slice spring onions.

7. Add noodles and cook 2 min, until softened.

8.a. If serving in individual bowls: portion out and top with cheese and sliced spring onions

8.b. If serving family style, add cheese and spring onions to the saucepan or serving dish.

Substitutions

I highlight here the core that makes the soul of the dish and suggest possible substitutions to adapt the stew to your preferences, diet and ingredients available to you.

Core: The sauce base.

Substitutions: You can edit (add / remove / replace) the main ingredients to your liking. This dish can easily be made vegetarian.