Photo: Ser Amantio di Nicolao · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)
A bubbling earthenware stew of silky soft tofu in a spicy chili-oil broth, with an egg cracked in at the end. Comfort in a single hot pot, made for a bowl of rice.
Ingredients
- Soft tofu (sundubu) · 350-400g, extra-soft1 tube
- Pork · minced shoulder, or clams80 g
- Onion0.25
- Green onion0.5 stalk
- Korean zucchini · optional0.25
- Shiitake mushroom · optional1
- Egg1
- Anchovy stock · or water + kelp1.5 cups
- Cooking oil1 tbsp
- Seasoning
- Gochugaru1.5 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Soup soy sauce1 tbsp
- Salted shrimp (saeujeot) · or salt, to taste1 tsp
- Sesame oil1 tsp
Steps
Mince the pork; finely chop the onion, zucchini, and shiitake. Slice the green onion thin.
- ⏲ 2 min
In an earthenware pot, heat the oil and stir-fry the pork with gochugaru and garlic over medium heat to release the chili oil.
- ⏲ 3 min
Add the onion, zucchini, and mushroom, stir-fry briefly, then pour in the anchovy stock and bring to a boil.
- ⏲ 5 min
When it boils, spoon in the soft tofu in big chunks and season with soup soy sauce and salted shrimp. Don't stir — keep the tofu in soft curds.
- ⏲ 1 min
Once it boils again, add the green onion and crack the egg into the center.
Turn off the heat, drizzle a little sesame oil, and serve in the pot while still bubbling, with hot rice.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Seafood sundubu: Swap the pork for clams, shrimp, and squid for a cleaner broth.
- Kimchi sundubu: Stir-fry chopped sour kimchi in for an extra tangy kick.
- Mild version: Skip the gochugaru for a clear broth kids can enjoy.
- Perilla sundubu: Stir in ground perilla seeds for a nutty, silky finish.
Tips
- Cook it in an earthenware pot (ttukbaegi) so it stays scalding hot and arrives still bubbling.
- Frying the gochugaru in oil first makes chili oil that deepens the color and flavor.
- Don't stir the tofu — spoon it in whole so the soft curds stay intact.
- Season with salted shrimp for a clean, savory depth.
- Add the egg last and leave it runny to soak into the rice.
The basics behind this dish
- Stocks and Broths: Clarity, Time, and Why You Do Not Salt ThemWhat separates a clear stock from a cloudy one is temperature, not ingredients. Why you start in cold water, how long each ingredient wants, and why salt comes later.
- Salt: When You Add It Matters More Than How MuchThe same amount of salt either draws water out or seasons all the way through, depending on when it goes in. Osmosis, seasoning in layers, and why salt types are not interchangeable by volume.
- Knife Skills: Grip, Cuts, and Why Size MattersHow you hold the knife matters more than how fast you cut. The pinch grip, the claw hand, and why uniform size is a cooking decision rather than a cosmetic one.
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