Korean Soft Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae)

This “Sundubu Jjigae” (which literally translates to ‘soft tofu stew’) is a Korean dish with a light yet really rich & flavourful base plus a kick of spice from gochugaru!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tbsps toasted sesame oil
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 1/2 cup sliced leeks or green onions
  • 1 tbsp + 2 tsp gochugaru or korean hot pepper powder (feel free to adjust according to desired spice)
  • 2.5 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
  • 250g zucchini sliced into small 1/4” thick quarters
  • 150g enoki mushrooms
  • 200g sliced king oyster or shiitake mushrooms
  • 3 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 pack sundubu (silken tofu) or soft tofu (300g)

Instructions

  1. Prepare your sundubu or soft tofu. If using sundubu in a tube, slice the tube in half (or follow the dotted lines), and slice the tofu into a few pieces. If using a block of sudubu, carefully remove it from the tray of water and slice into a few pieces. Note that you can opt not to slice the tofu and simply break them into smaller pieces when placing in the stew later on.
  2. Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Once hot, add in the sesame oil. Sauté the onion and leeks. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent and cooked through. Add in the garlic, gochugaru, and soy sauce. Cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add in the king oyster or shiitake mushrooms and sauté for a few more minutes until lightly cooked through, around 3 minutes. Add in the zucchini and mix well. Pour in the vegetable broth or water. Cover the pot and leave to boil over medium-high heat, around 7 minutes.
  4. Once the zucchini and mushrooms are cooked through, taste the soup and season with salt as needed. Add in the tofu and leave to boil for another 2-3 minutes. Enjoy while hot with some steamed rice and your choice of sides.

This recipe was republished with permission from The Foodie Takes Flight. Find the original recipe here.