Sundubu jjigae (Korean soft tofu stew)
"This comforting Korean classic is a spicy stew that can be loaded with various vegetables and meats, and is crowned with a super soft silken tofu (sundubu) that soaks up the red stew and adds a nice creamy texture. This one is vegan, but typical recipes include a dried anchovy broth and classic kimchi (as opposed to a vegan variation). The recipe was inspired and adapted from The Korean Vegan, Joanne Molinaro’s recipe. If you want to add other vegetables, like eggplant, or other kinds of mushrooms (think sliced portobello or shiitake), you definitely can, and of course you could alter the recipe even more by adding an egg (a classic add in to this stew), thinly sliced pork belly, or shrimp or clams. I chose not to include Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) here, and instead relied on Korean chili paste (gochujang) for the heat, flavor, and color."
Difficulty
Easy 👌Ingredients
Utensils
cutting board, knife, pot, spatula
How-To Videos
Homemade shortcut kimchi
How to prepare garlic
How to clean mushrooms
How to prepare zucchini
Step 1/4
- 2 cloves garlic
- 100 g zucchini
- 250 g waxy potatoes
- 100 g enoki mushrooms
- 3 scallions
- cutting board
- knife
Peel and mince garlic. Chop zucchini and potato into bite-size pieces. Rinse and trim the bottom of the mushrooms. Thinly slice scallions and reserve half for garnish.
Step 2/4
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 150 g vegan kimchi
- pot
- spatula
Place a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil. Once hot, add potatoes and stir-fry for approx. 5 min. Add garlic, zucchini, gochujang, and kimchi. Cook for approx. 5 min., or until the gochujang starts to stick to the bottom of the pot.
Step 3/4
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 475 ml water
Add soy sauce and water. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until potatoes are cooked through, approx. 10 min.
Step 4/4
- 350 g silken tofu
- short grain rice (cooked, for serving)
Add silken tofu (and any brine) and break up gently with a spatula or leave whole. Add mushrooms and let cook for approx. 3 min. Remove from heat, top with reserved scallions, and serve with cooked short grain rice. Enjoy!
