Baek Jong-won Style Dubu Kimchi
The Perfect Harmony of Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Kimchi with Soft Tofu! Baek Jong-won’s Dubu Kimchi Recipe
Want to enjoy delicious Dubu Kimchi at home like you’re at a restaurant? This recipe, featuring Chef Baek Jong-won’s secrets, perfectly balances savory stir-fried kimchi, flavorful pork, and tender tofu, making it an excellent side dish for rice or a great accompaniment to drinks. Discover the secrets to its simple yet deep flavor now!
Main Ingredients- 1 block of firm tofu
- 400g pork (for bulgogi or jeyuk bokkeum)
- A little bit of green onion
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 head of napa kimchi
Seasonings & Others- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes – adjust to spice preference)
- Soy sauce
- Minced garlic or garlic powder
- Sugar
- Salt (coarse sea salt recommended)
- Black pepper
- Soju (or Mirin, Cheongju – rice wine)
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes – adjust to spice preference)
- Soy sauce
- Minced garlic or garlic powder
- Sugar
- Salt (coarse sea salt recommended)
- Black pepper
- Soju (or Mirin, Cheongju – rice wine)
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the tofu, pork, green onions, eggs, and kimchi. Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces and finely chop the green onions.
Step 2
Slice the tofu into your desired bite-sized pieces. You can cut them into squares, rectangles, or any shape you prefer. Avoid slicing them too thinly, as they might break apart. Aim for a moderate thickness.
Step 3
Sprinkle salt evenly over the sliced tofu and let it sit for about 10 minutes to draw out moisture. This step firms up the tofu and lightly seasons it, making it taste even better. (Tip: Using coarse sea salt, like ‘Ocheonnnyeonui Sinbi Myeongpum Gu-un Sogeum’, will add a richer flavor.)
Step 4
Now, prepare 400g of pork for the stir-fried kimchi. Using thinly sliced pork, typically used for bulgogi or jeyuk bokkeum, will shorten the cooking time and help the sauce penetrate better, resulting in a tastier dish.
Step 5
Marinate the pork to remove any gamey smell. Mix in salt, black pepper, and soju (or mirin, cheongju). If you prefer a less intense garlic flavor, you can use garlic powder instead of minced garlic. (Tip: Using garlic powder, such as ‘Umtrei Garlic Powder’, can add a subtle garlic aroma.)
Step 6
Finally, add a little olive oil and mix well to combine the pork and seasonings. Adding olive oil means you won’t need to add extra oil when cooking later, making it more convenient.
Step 7
Let the marinated pork sit for about 20 minutes. This resting period allows the seasonings to deeply infuse into the meat, enhancing its flavor.
Step 8
Tip! When beating the eggs, try using the tofu packaging. If you beat the eggs in the empty tofu container, you can reduce the number of dishes to wash, making cleanup easier.
Step 9
Prepare 2 eggs and beat them well. Finely chop the green onions you’ve prepared.
Step 10
For a richer texture, you could coat the tofu in flour, but today, we’ll keep it simple and quick by just using the egg wash. Coat the tofu evenly with the beaten egg.
Step 11
Sprinkle the chopped green onions little by little over the egg-coated tofu. The fresh aroma of the green onions will make it even more delicious.
Step 12
Now, pan-fry the tofu until golden brown and set it aside on a plate. Cook the tofu until it’s cooked through and the exterior is slightly crisp.
Step 13
In the same pan, add the marinated pork and stir-fry it first. Once the pork is almost cooked, add the halved kimchi and stir-fry together. After adding the kimchi, add 3 tablespoons of gochugaru (or 4 if you like it spicier), 1 ladle of soy sauce, and 1.5 ladles of sugar. Pour in 150ml of water (about 2/3 of a paper cup) and let it simmer until the sauce reduces.
Step 14
When the sauce for the stir-fried kimchi has thickened and reduced, turn off the heat and finish with a drizzle of sesame oil. The nutty aroma of the sesame oil will enhance the overall flavor.
Step 15
Finally, arrange the pan-fried tofu and the stir-fried kimchi attractively on a plate. Your delicious Baek Jong-won style Dubu Kimchi is now complete!
