Spicy and Hearty Sundubu Jjigae
How to Make Delicious Soft Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae)
Today, I made Sundubu Jjigae, a favorite of my son who recently finished his mandatory military service. While he seems to eat anything, he’s surprisingly picky about food! I was wondering if he’d changed after the military, but he’s still the same, haha. Still, if there’s just one dish he likes, he’ll happily eat that with rice, so I try to make his favorite dishes whenever possible. Today, we’re making Sundubu Jjigae with plenty of vegetables! It’s great with seafood, but my son dislikes it, so we’ll make a vegetable-only version.
Stew Ingredients- 1 pack soft tofu (approx. 350g)
- 90g zucchini (about 1/3 medium)
- 90g onion (about 1/2 medium)
- 1/2 stalk green onion
- 600cc kelp broth (3 cups)
Spicy Seasoning Paste- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (or fish sauce)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pinch sugar (optional)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (or fish sauce)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pinch sugar (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare all the vegetables for the stew.
Step 2
Slice the green onion diagonally into large pieces. Dice the zucchini into approximately 1cm cubes. Slice the onion thinly. You can cut the vegetables into shapes you prefer. If you’re making this for children or those who dislike chunky vegetables, you can dice them very finely so they blend in better.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pot. Add the sliced green onions, onions, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of gochugaru. Stir and sauté over medium-low heat to create a fragrant chili oil. If this step feels too cumbersome, you can certainly use store-bought chili oil.
Step 4
Once the chili oil is fragrant, add the diced zucchini and sauté with the aromatics. When the zucchini starts to look slightly translucent, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (or fish sauce), 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of sugar. Stir everything together and cook for another minute.
Step 5
After sautéing the vegetables, pour in the prepared 600cc (3 cups) of kelp broth. You can also use anchovy broth, rice water, or plain water, but kelp broth adds a wonderfully deep umami flavor. Since kelp broth has a natural saltiness, adjust the amount of added salt if you’re using a different type of broth.
Step 6
Bring the broth to a boil over high heat and let it simmer vigorously for about 5 minutes. This step allows the flavors of the vegetables to infuse deeply into the broth, creating a richer taste. If you prefer an even more intense flavor, you can simmer it for a longer period.
Step 7
While the broth is simmering, prepare the pack of soft tofu. Carefully remove the plastic packaging. Using a spoon or a knife, gently cut the tofu into large, bite-sized chunks. Honestly, the stew tastes even better if you break up the tofu with a spoon while it’s cooking, allowing the flavors to meld more. However, I cut it into pieces like this for presentation.
Step 8
Carefully add the softened tofu pieces to the boiling stew. To keep the tofu chunks intact, gently slide them into the pot along the side.
Step 9
Let the stew simmer for a few more minutes after adding the tofu until it’s bubbly and heated through – your Sundubu Jjigae is ready! For an extra touch, you can crack an egg into the stew just before serving; it looks beautiful and adds a lovely richness. My son, however, doesn’t like eggs, so I omitted it.
