Spicy Rich Kimchi Sundubu Jjigae (Kimchi Soft Tofu Stew)
A spicy stew flavored with chili oil made by stir-frying aged sour kimchi and pork.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This kimchi sundubu jjigae develops deep flavor by stir-frying aromatics first to make chili oil, then adding aged sour kimchi and pork. Draining excess water from the soft tofu ahead of time keeps the broth from turning watery. It makes a hearty, warming dish with its hot and comforting broth.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Soft tofu (sundubu)1 pack
- Pork100 g
- Aged sour kimchi4 leaves (1 cup, sliced)
- Onion1/2
- Korean zucchini (aehobak)1/4
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalks
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Egg1
- Anchovy broth2 cups
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Cooking oil1 tbsp
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- For the pork, pork belly, pork shoulder, front leg, or hind leg cuts all work great.
- For the vegetables, I prepared onion, Korean zucchini, large green onion, and Cheongyang chili peppers, but if you have mushrooms, those are fine too.
- Cut the soft tofu into 2 pieces, remove the packaging, and set it in a bowl. Liquid will pool as it sits, so pouring it off every now and then prevents the broth from becoming diluted.
Steps
Here are the star ingredients of kimchi sundubu jjigae: 1 tube of soft tofu and aged sour kimchi.
I also prepared a little pork, which goes so well with aged sour kimchi, and finely chopped it. For the pork, pork belly, pork shoulder, front leg, or hind leg cuts all work great.
For the vegetables, I prepared onion, zucchini, large green onion, and Cheongyang chili peppers, but mushrooms are fine too if you have them. And 1 egg to drop in at the very end.
Cut the soft tofu into 2 pieces, remove the packaging, and place it in a bowl. Water will pool as it sits like this, so just pour it off periodically.
If you add the soft tofu along with all that liquid, it makes the broth watery.
Shake the seasoning off the aged sour kimchi and chop it finely, and cut the onion and zucchini into similar sizes.
Finely slice the large green onion and Cheongyang chili peppers.
In an earthenware pot (ttukbaegi), add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp cooking oil, then add the onion and half of the large green onion and stir-fry well to release their fragrance. Once the vegetables start releasing moisture as they cook, add the gochugaru and stir-fry over low heat without burning it to draw out the chili oil.
Stir-frying the aromatics first to build aroma before making the chili oil like this creates far better flavor and keeps the gochugaru from burning.
Add the minced pork, minced garlic, and mirin, then stir-fry thoroughly until the meat is fully cooked.
Stir-frying the meat this way eliminates any off-odors even without marinating it beforehand.
Add the aged sour kimchi and stir-fry.
If your kimchi is overly sour, stir-frying it with 1/2 tsp of sugar will mellow out much of the acidity and make the broth far smoother.
Pour in 2 cups of broth and bring to a rolling boil so all the ingredients meld together nicely, then add the Korean zucchini and simmer briefly until cooked through.
Add the soft tofu and break it into bite-sized pieces.
Add the soup soy sauce and bring to a boil to season the stew overall; if it needs more saltiness, adjust with salt or soy sauce.
At the very end, drop in the egg, large green onion, and Cheongyang chili peppers, finish with black pepper, and boil for about 2 minutes to complete the dish.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying the aromatics first to build aroma before making the chili oil creates far better flavor and keeps the gochugaru from burning.
- Stir-frying the meat with minced pork, minced garlic, and mirin removes gamey odors without needing a separate marinade.
- If the kimchi is overly sour, stir-frying it with 1/2 tsp of sugar will reduce the acidity and make the broth much smoother.
FAQ
Why do you set the soft tofu in a bowl before cooking?
Adding the liquid released by the soft tofu can dilute the broth, so placing it in a bowl beforehand allows you to pour off the pooled moisture before use.
What should you do if the kimchi is overly sour?
Stir-frying it with half a teaspoon of sugar reduces the acidity and makes the broth noticeably smoother.
What cut of pork should be used for the stew?
Pork belly, pork shoulder, front leg, or hind leg cuts are all suitable to use.
How do you keep the gochugaru from burning when making chili oil?
Stir-fry aromatics like onion and large green onion first so they release moisture and fragrance, then stir-fry the gochugaru over low heat to keep it from burning.
