Kimchi Soondubu (Spicy Korean Soft Tofu Stew)
An easy Korean spicy soft tofu stew (soondubu jjigae) made with an anchovy broth and loaded with pork and shrimp. The best kind of comfort food out there.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 3 cup water
- 1 inch korean radish ((Optional, cut into 1/2 inch slices))
- 1 slice ginger
- 1/2 onion
- 6 dried anchovies ((heads removed))
- 3 clove garlic
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms ((washed, if you're using the dried ones - soak in water for 10-15 minutes))
- 4 inch kelp ((aka kombu))
- 2 tbsp fish sauce ((or soy sauce))
- 2 clove garlic ((finely minced))
- 2 tbsp korean red pepper flakes ((gochugaru))
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp cooking sake ((or sake, Chinese cooking rice wine))
- 1/2 onion ((chopped))
- 1/2 lb pork shoulder ((sliced or cut into small chunks))
- 10 shrimp ((Optional))
- 1 cup kimchi ((chopped))
- 1 package silken soft tofu ((sundubu, 350g))
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms ((reserved from broth))
- 1/2 zucchini ((cut into slivers))
- 1/2 package enoki mushrooms ((cut and remove the root bottoms))
- 1 eggs
- toasted sesame seeds
- 3 stalk green onions ((finely chopped))
Instructions
- 1
Remove the heads from 6 anchovies and set them aside.
- 2
Cut 1 inch of Korean radish, slice them into ½ inch pieces and set aside.
- 3
Rinse and soak 5 shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
- 4
Cut 1 slice of ginger and set it aside
- 5
Peel 3 cloves of garlic, keep it whole and set it aside
- 6
Peel and cut ½ an onion and set it aside.
- 7
Cut a 4 inch piece of kelp and set it aside.
- 8
In a pot, combine 3 cups of water, Korean radish, ginger, onion, dried anchovies, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, and kelp into a pot and boil for approximately 20-30 mins on medium heat with a lid on.
- 9
When the broth is done, strain out the ingredients but keep the shiitake mushrooms and cut them into smaller pieces for the stew. Set the broth and shiitake aside.
- 10
[Optional Shortcut] Instead of making the broth, you can also use pre-made broth.
- 11
Slice ½ lb pork belly into small bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- 12
Slice ½ onion and ½ zucchini and set them aside
- 13
(Optional) Chop 1 cup of kimchi into smaller pieces and set them aside.
- 14
Finely mince the 2 cloves of garlic and add it to a small bowl.
- 15
Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce (or soy sauce), 2 tablespoons of Korean pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, ½ tablespoon of sugar, ½ tablespoon of sesame seeds, and 1 tablespoon of cooking sake (or Chinese cooking rice wine) to a small bowl and mix it with the garlic. Set it aside.
- 16
Set the stove to medium heat and place the earthenware bowl or a pot on the stove.
- 17
Once the pot is hot, add in oil, and cook the onion and pork belly for about 5 minutes or until the pork is no longer pink.
- 18
Add in the 1-1½ cups of broth, sauce, kimchi, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes
- 19
Once the broth is at a low rolling boil, add in the tofu, enoki mushrooms, and shrimp. Gently break the tofu into large chunks and cook for 2 minutes
- 20
Gently add the raw egg on top and simmer it for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat.
- 21
Remove the bowl (be very careful it's very hot! Wear oven mitts!) from the stove and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
- 22
Serve immediately and enjoy with some rice!