Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)

Maybe this spicy, bubbling hot, hearty stew has you visiting Korean restaurants every week. So one day, you see a recipe on the internet and try it at home, but it doesn’t go so well. Alright, let me tell you the truth. Making soft tofu stew looks easy, but it’s really hard to get that taste you’re looking for, even for native Koreans. Don’t worry about it. If you master this recipe, I dare say you may want to open a Korean restaurant.

Prep time: 16 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients: 

• ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp lard or neutral-tasting oil
• 2 green onions (30g), thinly sliced, plus more to garnish
• ¼ large yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 oz (85g) ground pork (or ground beef or chicken)
• ½ Cheongyang chili pepper or other chili pepper (optional), finely chopped
• 1½ cups water or rice water
• 3 oz (85g) littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 (12½ oz / 350g) package silken tofu, halved
• 2 large eggs
• ½ red and ½ green chili pepper, thinly sliced, to garnish
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the seasoning paste:

• 2 tbsp Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• ½ tbsp oyster sauce
• ½ tbsp chicken bouillon powder
• ½ tbsp Dasida (Korean beef stock powder)

1. To make the seasoning paste, in a small container, stir together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

2. In a medium wok or pot, heat the sesame oil and lard over medium heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the green onions and yellow onion and sauté for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the pork and Cheongyang chili pepper (if using). Stir-fry everything for 2 minutes or until the pork is cooked, breaking up the pork into small pieces.

3. Reduce the heat to low, and add the seasoning paste. Sauté for 3 minutes or until you can see the beautiful chili oil on the surface. (Chili pepper flakes burn easily, so make sure to stir occasionally. Please be careful not to burn it.)

4. Add the water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once bubbling away, add the clams and simmer for 1 minute. Add the silken tofu. With a spoon, break the tofu into nice, big chunks. Simmer for an additional 2 minutes or until the tofu gets warm.

5. To serve, transfer the stew into 2 ttukbaegi (Korean earthenware pots), and place over medium-high heat. As soon as it begins to bubble, immediately crack the eggs on top of the stew, and cook to your desired doneness.

6. Finish off with green onions, sliced chili peppers, and a few cracks of black pepper to taste. Serve with a bowl of hot rice and kimchi