This autumn, like every autumn, I am thinking about stews. As temperatures plunge, you will find me hunched over heavy pans, rubbing my hands together in goblinesque glee.

Everyone loves a stew. Everyone loves to stew. There’s something magical about a meal that comes together out of sight – carrots and onions glistening deep under the lid, meat melting off the bones in the long recesses of the afternoon.

In Cambridge, we may not always have the time (or the ovens, or the stovetops) for slow cooking, but that doesn’t mean we should allow our stewing dreams to go stale. Here, I’ve rounded up four brothy offerings to ease you into the autumn. I’ve tried to keep things relatively light and fresh, with each coming together in 30 minutes or less.

“Kimchi-jjigae is my miracle cure for even the cruellest of hangovers…”

Doenjang-jjigae

Doenjang is fermented soybean paste – the funkier, more pungent cousin to miso. You can nab a small tub of it from Oseyo (or whatever your nearest Asian supermarket is). Doenjang-jjigae starts with a base of onions and garlic, and it’s flavoured with dark, rich dollops of doenjang. After that, feel free to get creative with the ingredients you pile inside. My go-tos are firm tofu and courgettes, cut into small cubes – but you could also use potatoes, napa cabbage, or mooli. For the broth, anchovy or dashi stock are common umami boosters, but I do think the soybean and vegetables sing for themselves. A good glug of soy sauce would never go amiss, though, along with a dusting of glittery gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) if you like it spicy. Really, this is the most satisfying stew I know how to make. It’s warm and brawny but with a crystal-clear aftertaste.

Kimchi-jjigae

This is a heroic stew. It is the fire in my belly, the captain of my soul. It’s also my miracle cure for even the cruellest of hangovers …

My favourite kimchi-jjigae has pork belly. That’s how my mum makes it (“Jeolla-do-style”), and it’s delicious. You can absolutely use vegetables or fish instead – mushrooms are a wonderful option, and there’s a popular variation involving a can of tuna, brine and all.

“Chorizo and butter bean stew tastes best when sopped up with a slice of sourdough”

If you’re going for pork, start with the standard culprits: onions, garlic (lots of it, like a whole honking head), and ginger to cut through the richness. I always want it redder and spicier, so I shake in some gochugaru too. When selecting the pork belly, the fattiest cuts are best. I slice them super thin so they cook quicker, turning tender and jelly-like. Add your kimchi, along with any vegetables you like – earthy mooli is by far my favourite, simmered until just translucent. The kimchi does the heavy lifting with the flavour, but you can also season with soy sauce, doenjang, and gochujang. Traditional toppings are sliced tofu and spring onions, which are nice for a smack of freshness at the end.

You should be left with a pot of brick-red, salty-sour stew, scalding hot and bubbling at the brim. Slather it over a bowl of freshly steamed rice. I promise you, you will never go back to Yori after this.

‘Green’ Chorizo and Butter Bean Stew

This is a winning combo. Fat, white butter beans are perfect for soaking up smoky chorizo. I make two versions, which I’ve called “green” and “red” (because, uh, why not? It’s cute?). Both taste best, of course, when sopped up with a slice of sourdough.

The “green stew” is a hearty, herby affair. For vegetables, I go with broccolini, kale (or cavolo nero, if you want to get mental with it), and courgettes cut on the diagonal into large, satisfying chunks. Brown them all in your pan, then add the butter beans and let them simmer away in vegetable stock. I like the chorizo as a crispy topping, so I slice it and fry it separately. Finish with a huge handful of freshly chopped dill and a fierce squeeze of lemon, and you’re done.

‘Red’ Chorizo and Butter Bean Stew

This version feels thicker and more indulgent. The chorizo I tear into pieces and sauté with onions and tonnes of garlic. Bell peppers, sliced into thin strips, go in next, along with a glossy dash of Worcestershire sauce. To build the broth itself, any type of tomato will do: fresh, canned, puree, passata. After a few minutes simmering, you can finish with whatever herbs you like – parsley and coriander are both lovely. You might also want to consider adding a glob of yoghurt or sour cream, depending on how rich you like it.