Dubu Jjigae (Tofu Stew) with Aged Kimchi and Pork
A gently reduced Dubu jjigae (tofu stew) seasoned cleanly with salted fermented shrimp, made with 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 stew features thick-sliced tofu, pork, and aged sour kimchi cooked down gently until the broth is shallow and rich. Seasoned cleanly with salted fermented shrimp rather than heavy seasonings, it tastes light and refreshing, making it wonderful to spoon over rice and crush into bites. With its spicy, savory kick and pantry-friendly ingredients, it makes a satisfying main side dish.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Tofu400 g
- Aged sour kimchi100 g
- Sugar1 tsp
- Pork100 g
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Onion1/4
- Large green onion (daepa)1/4 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Anchovy broth2 1/2 cups
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Perilla oil (or toasted sesame oil)1 tbsp
- Because the kimchi is well-aged, mix in 1 tsp of sugar to neutralize the sharp sourness. Mix the pork with 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), and a little ground black pepper to eliminate any gamey odor.
- Mirin is enough for fresh refrigerated meat, but if using frozen meat, it is good to add 1/2 tsp of minced ginger.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Here are 1 block (400g) of tofu, aged sour kimchi, pork, onion, large green onion (daepa), and Cheongyang chili peppers.
Slice the ingredients
I cut the tofu very thick and large, about 1.5 cm thick.
Shake off a bit of the seasoning paste inside the aged sour kimchi and chop it finely, and chop the meat finely as well.
Slice the large green onion and Cheongyang chili peppers thinly, and slice the onion into thin strips.
Season the meat and kimchi
Because the kimchi is well-aged, mix in 1 tsp of sugar to neutralize the sharp sourness. Mix the pork with 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), and a little ground black pepper to remove any gamey odor.
Mirin is enough for refrigerated meat, but if using frozen meat, it is good to add 1/2 tsp of minced ginger.
Boil
Place the tofu in the pot first, then evenly arrange the meat and kimchi over it.
Pour in 2 1/2 cups of anchovy broth and add all the seasoning ingredients except perilla oil (=toasted sesame oil) and ground black pepper.
1 1/2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot), 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine)
Once it begins to boil over high heat, simmer gently until the broth reduces and sits shallow so the seasoning soaks evenly into the tofu.
Add the onion, large green onion, and Cheongyang chili peppers...
Simmer until the aromatic flavors infuse the broth, then taste and adjust with soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) or salt if it tastes bland.
Turn off the heat and finish by adding the perilla oil and ground black pepper at the end.
Finish
The thick tofu is thoroughly infused with the tangy kimchi flavor, juicy meat, and savory seasoning.
Cutting into the tofu with a spoon, topping it with a little of the other ingredients, and eating it with rice fills your mouth with tender, comforting richness.
Cooked with little liquid like a jjageuli stew, this is a tofu dish that eats like a rice side dish.
You could say it sits right between kimchi jjigae and braised tofu.
If you simmer this up and serve it bubbling, you can finish a whole bowl of rice deliciously without worrying about other soups or side dishes.
How about this rice-stealing Dubu jjigae for tonight's dinner menu?
Ppunwife's tips
- If using frozen meat, it is good to add 1/2 tsp of minced ginger.
- Simmer until the flavors infuse the broth, then taste and adjust with soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) or salt if it tastes bland.
FAQ
Is there a trick to removing gamey odors when using frozen pork?
Mirin is sufficient for fresh refrigerated meat, but when using frozen meat, it is good to add 1/2 tsp of minced ginger to the marinade.
What should I do if the aged sour kimchi is too sour?
If the kimchi is heavily fermented, toss it with 1 tsp of sugar to gently mellow out the sourness.
What do I use to adjust the seasoning at the end if it needs more salt?
Taste the broth, and if it is bland, add a little soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) or salt to adjust.
Can I substitute toasted sesame oil if I do not have perilla oil?
When you turn off the heat at the end, drizzling 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil instead of perilla oil works just fine.
