Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)

Name: Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 1 tube Soft tofu (sundubu); 80 g Pork; 0.25 Onion; 0.5 stalk Green onion; 0.25 Korean zucchini; 1 Shiitake mushroom; 1 Egg; 1.5 cups Anchovy stock; 1 tbsp Cooking oil; 1.5 tbsp Gochugaru; 1 tbsp Minced garlic; 1 tbsp Soup soy sauce; 1 tsp Salted shrimp (saeujeot); 1 tsp Sesame oil

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

2servings

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.
In an earthenware pot, heat the oil and stir-fry the pork with gochugaru and garlic over medium heat to release the chili oil.
⏲ 2 min
Add the onion, zucchini, and mushroom, stir-fry briefly, then pour in the anchovy stock and bring to a boil.
⏲ 3 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.
⏲ 5 min
Once it boils again, add the green onion and crack the egg into the center.
⏲ 1 min
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.

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