Dubu-kimchi — Braised Kimchi with Steamed Tofu (두부김치)

Place the pork belly slices in a cold, dry wok or heavy skillet and set over high heat, turning once, until the fat renders freely and the slices colour at the edges — starting in a cold, dry pan draws the fat out gradually so it pools as a cooking medium rather than scorching on contact. No oil is added; the rendered dripping does all the work that follows. The pan is ready when the fat is visibly pooled and the meat is lightly golden.

Add the chopped aged kimchi directly to the rendered pork fat and stir to coat every piece, then add the ganjang and gochujang and stir to combine, maintaining high heat throughout. Cook, stirring and pressing the kimchi firmly against the pan, until the moisture has fully evaporated, the kimchi darkens to a deep brick-red, and the edges catch and char slightly — pressing the kimchi flat against the hot surface drives off the last of the liquid so that the sugars in the ferment caramelise rather than steam. This is where the dish lives or dies: a faint sticking and sizzling at the base of the pan tells you caramelisation is occurring; any moisture remaining at this point leaves a thin, pale result with none of the depth the dish requires.

Remove from the heat and drizzle the sesame oil over the kimchi, folding it through once — adding the oil off the heat preserves its roasted fragrance, which disappears if it hits a scorching pan. The aroma should be immediate and roasted, not raw.

While the kimchi cooks, place the tofu block, still in any packing liquid or transferred to a shallow dish with a little water, in a steamer basket over briskly simmering water and steam for 6–8 minutes — keeping the tofu in liquid as it steams stops the outer surface drying and toughening before the centre is warm. The tofu is ready when it feels uniformly warm all the way through; press the surface gently with a fingertip, and it should not feel cool in the middle. It is not fried, not salted, not seasoned in any way.

Remove the tofu and slice into pieces approximately 1 cm thick. Arrange the slices along one half of a large flat plate and spoon the braised kimchi onto the other half with its pan juices. Serve immediately: the tofu must be warm, not at room temperature, because the contrast between the hot, fat-rich, caramelised kimchi and the plain, warm tofu is the dish itself — a dulled, cooled tofu flattens everything the kimchi worked to build.