Pork and red chile kimchi stew

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Makes: 2 to 3 main-course servings

1 generous cup (about 8 ounces) hot kimchi

1 tablespoon gochujang or New Mexico chile paste or tomato paste mixed with ½ teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon doenjang, optional

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons gochugaru red chile flakes or finely crushed dried New Mexico chile or sweet paprika

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

½ pound lean boneless pork country ribs, halved lengthwise, very thinly sliced

3 cups chicken bone broth (or homemade pork or beef broth)

1⁄2 cup thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushroom caps

1 cup diced (about 6 ounces) firm silken tofu

3 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced

2to3 large eggs, optional

Chopped fresh cilantro

2 to 3 cups cooked medium-grain white rice, for serving

1. Mix kimchi, gochujang, doenjang, sugar, chile flakes and onion in a deep 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in pork to coat well. Set the pan over high heat and cook, stirring nearly constantly, until everything darkens in color and becomes highly aromatic, about 7 minutes.

2. Carefully stir in broth. (It will splatter.) Scrape the sides and bottom to loosen up and dissolve all the browned bits. Stir in mushrooms. Reduce heat to very low. Simmer, partly covered, stirring often, 15 minutes.

3. Stir in tofu and green onions. Simmer, 3 minutes. If using, gently crack eggs into a small dish and tip them into the stew. Simmer just long enough to cook the whites and softly set the yolks, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately in warm bowls, topped with cilantro. Pass rice to eat alongside.

Tip: Heat your serving bowls by filling them with very hot water and let stand. Dump out the water before using.

Vegetarian variation: Omit the pork, and reduce the cooking time in Step 1 to 4 minutes. Substitute vegetable stock for the meat stock, and double the amount of mushrooms. Stir 2 cups baby spinach leaves into the stew just before serving.

Nutrition information per serving (for 3 servings): 402 calories, 14 g fat, 4g saturated fat, 42 mg cholesterol, 42 g carbohydrates, 8 g sugar, 26 g protein, 770 mg sodium, 4 g fiber