Kimchi Soondubu Jjigae is a traditional Korean spicy tofu soup that’s packed full of flavour and umami. It’s spicy and served boiling – making it a comforting stable in all Korean households and especially during the colder seasons. Let me show you how to make it

There are a few things to note:

1. Tofu: it has to be the soft silken tofu variety.
2. Meat: my version has pork but you can easily substitute it with clams if you can’t eat pork, or just omit it completely.
3. Dashima stock: it’s essentially an anchovy & kelp stock commonly used in Korean cuisine. You can find the pre-made stock or the powdered version in your Korean grocery stores. You can also substitute it with Dashi stock or Veggie stock/water but the taste will be different.

Ingredients

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 green onion/scallion stalk, white part chopped finely
1/2 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), adjust to desired spiciness
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
100 g pork belly, sliced (can substitute with clams)
1/3 cup kimchi, chopped
1 1/2 cup dashima stock (or dashi stock/water)
1 zucchini, diced
1 packet silken tofu, sliced
1 egg
Scallion/green onion (for garnish)

Method

1. In a small pot with sesame oil, add in the onion, scallion/green onion and garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until soft. Add the Korean red pepper flakes, soy sauces and sugar – stir well until it becomes a paste.
2. Add the kimchi and pork belly, and stir fry until the pork is cooked. Add in the dashima stock and zucchini and let it boil for 5 minutes or until the zucchini is cooked. Season to taste.
3. Add the tofu, egg and green onion garnish. Let boil further to partially cook the egg. Serve hot with rice.