How To Make Soft Tofu

Sundubu Jjigae (Spicy Soft Tofu Stew) Boiling in Hot Pot

Sundubu Jjigae or Soft Tofu Stew recipe that is and so piece of cake to make and so delicious that my husband told me information technology's almost as good, if not better than the ones at the restaurant! I would have never imagined that Sundubu Jjigae would become so popular with not-Koreans. I always idea that it was unfortunate how Tofu got such a bad wrap for being a healthy simply bad tasting nutrient. I wanted to tell those people that it'due south considering you just don't know how to brand good tofu and cook it in a tasty mode. Anyway, I was so surprised to see Sundubu (Soft Tofu) Jjigae as the most requested dish from my readers in my recent survey of "What should I cook next?" And this wasn't fifty-fifty in my list of choices! Well, I should have known…

For several years after the first Tofu restaurant opened in our neighborhood, my husband could not go a week without having this Jjigae. Many times, when we were discussing where to go out to dinner, my daughter and I ended up arguing with my husband.. "NO!!! Non the tofu firm again!!!" Sometimes my married man would purchase my girl a Happy Repast to swallow at the restaurant simply so he could go to have his set up. The owner was e'er and then understanding.. Over the years, equally you lot can imagine, she has learned to relish it besides – probably not as much as her dad..

If y'all take been to a Korean tofu restaurant, you probably have seen all the unlike variations of Sundubu Jjigae – plain or original (which is ordinarily just tofu lone), beef, pork, seafood, combination of meat and Kimchi.. the listing goes on and on. But in order to really experience the authentic taste, yous first demand to discover a recipe where just the tofu alone will taste good enough. Once you accept the basic recipe figured out, then you can easily add together whatsoever ingredients and they will naturally enhance the flavor even further.

Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)

Time: 7 min Yields: iii Tbs of sauce

Ingredients for Sundubu Jjigae Yangnyeom (양념)

2 T + 1 tsp of Korean red chili pulverisation (고추가루 gochugaru)
one T soy sauce
1 T minced garlic
1/ii tsp sugar
1 tsp oyster sauce (굴쏘스)
ane/4 tsp sea common salt
one T mirin or sake
2 T vegetable oil
pinch of black pepper

Yangnyeom usually means "seasoning or spices" in Korean merely it can also mean additive or sauce. Sauce is probably the well-nigh authentic translation in this case. This yields nigh 3 T of hot sauce, enough to make 3-4 batches of Sundubu jjigae. You can keep any leftover sauce in the fridge for several weeks.

Directions

one. Mix all the dry and wet ingredients in a bowl except for the oil. The movie below shows the chili sauce after it's all mixed together.

Sundubu Jjigae Chili Sauce for Soft Tofu Stew

2. Heat oil in a sauce pot on medium loftier rut. Add together gochu yangnyeom (chili sauce) into pot and stir regularly to forbid the mixture from burning. Stirring will also make sure the oil gets mixed in completely with the chili powder mix. Stir for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce looks like beneath. Ready bated.

Ingredients for Sundubu Jjigae

1 pack (11 oz) of extra soft tofu (순두부 Soondubu)
1 T gochu yangnyeom for sundubu jjigae (prepared chili sauce above)
1/2 C water
1/two tsp table salt
1 tsp guk kanjang (국간장 korean soy sauce for soup) – run across Know your Soy Sauce
1/ii tsp minced saewoojeot (새우젓) – fermented shrimp
1 tsp fish sauce (멸치젓 myulchijeot) – fermented anchovy sauce
1 T chopped green onions
i egg (optional)

Directions

1. Open soft tofu pack and add to the clay pot (if you have one. if yous don't, you can utilize a minor pot instead). Add enough water (nearly 1/2 C) to fully cover the tofu. Break up tofu into smaller pieces with a spoon.

Oops.. the expiration engagement says April 1st…But since the package has not been opened, I decided to open it and sense of taste information technology. It was still good! So I just went alee and used it. Nobody got sick so no worries… 🙂 By the way, how can you lot tell if a tofu is still fresh enough to consume? Commencement scent it, fresh tofu will almost smell similar nothing just spoiled tofu volition smell a lilliputian sour. Opened tofu packages spoil pretty quickly (within a few days) so use it upwards apace and ever aroma and closely examine package tofu before you use it. Business firm tofu that is packaged with water will turn yellow around the edges and also starting time to feel slimy if it has gone bad.

Sundubu Soft Tofu and water in Hot pot Jjigae

2. Stir 1 T of the gochu yangnyeom (chili sauce) to the pot. Add together additional table salt, guk kanjang, saewoojeot and fish sauce to really complete the flavor. Start cooking the jjigae on medium high heat and once it starts to boil, plough heat to low. Permit it simmer for vii-10 minutes. Take it off the heat and bring it to the table. Add light-green onions and crack i egg and drop information technology into the pot while it's still bubbling. Depending on your personal taste, you tin intermission up the egg to have it cooked completely or let the egg stay whole in the jjigae if you enjoy eating soft boiled eggs. This is how my husband likes to consume his egg and information technology is certainly a care for to take a soft boiled egg surprise in your jjigae.

making soondubu jjigae in hot pot with seasoning

Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew) Finishied — Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew) Finished

Prep: ten minutes

Melt: x minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

serves: 3 servings

Ingredients for Sundubu Jjigae Yangnyeom - Makes 3 Tbs of Sauce - But i Tbs needed here

▢ 18 g Korean red chili powder (고추가루 gochugaru, 1 tsp = 3g)
▢ one Tbsp soy sauce
▢ one Tbsp minced garlic
▢ one/ii tsp sugar
▢ 1 tsp oyster sauce (굴쏘스)
▢ ane/4 tsp Body of water Salt (Trader Joe'southward)
▢ ane Tbsp mirin or sake
▢ 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
▢ 1 compression black pepper

Ingredients for Sundubu Jjigae

▢ 11 oz actress soft tofu (순두부 sundubu) (1 pack = 11 oz)
▢ i Tbsp gochu yangnyeom for sundubu jjigae (prepared chili sauce above)
▢ 1/2 cup water
▢ 1/2 tsp salt
▢ 1 tsp guk kanjang (국간장 korean soy sauce for soup – come across Know your Soy Sauce)
▢ i/two tsp minced saewoojeot (새우젓 – fermented shrimp)
▢ 1 tsp fish sauce (멸치젓 myulchijeot – fermented anchovy sauce)
▢ 1 Tbsp chopped green onions
▢ 1 egg (optional)

How to brand Chili Seasoning Sauce (Gochu Yangnyeom)

Mix all the dry out and moisture ingredients in a bowl except for the oil.
Heat oil in a sauce pot on medium high heat. Add gochu yangnyeom (chili sauce) into pot and stir regularly to prevent the mixture from burning. Stir for 3 to four minutes until the sauce looks similar beneath. Set aside.

Making Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)

Open soft tofu pack and add to the clay pot (if you have ane. if you don't, you can use a pocket-size pot instead). Add together enough water (nigh 1/2 C) to fully cover tofu. Pause up tofu with a spoon, into smaller pieces.
Stir 1 Tbs of the gochu yangnyeom (chili sauce) to pot. Add additional table salt, guk kanjang, saewoojeot and fish sauce.
Offset cooking jjigae on medium high heat and once information technology starts to boil, turn heat to low. Let it simmer for 7-10 minutes.
Take it off heat and bring information technology to the table. Add green onions and crack one egg and drop it into pot while it'south still bubbling.

Depending on your personal taste, you lot can break up the egg to take it cooked completely or let the egg stay whole in the jjigae if you bask eating soft boiled eggs. This is how my hubby likes to eat his egg and it is certainly a treat to have a soft boiled egg surprise in your jjigae.

More variations on the blog - make kimchi, meat, seafood, mushroom and combination flavors.

Course: Stew

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: ddukgaegi, hot pot, winter

KoreanCategory: Tang(탕)

Variations

kimchi season – add together about 3-iv T of chopped kimchi with the tofu. Adjust the table salt and soy sauce and other fish sauces since kimchi is quite salty. Hither is a link to my Kimchi Sundubu Jjigae mail.
meat flavour – add about three T of sliced beef (stew meat) or sliced pork (shoulder) with the tofu. Cook a little flake longer to brand sure all the meat is fully cooked.
seafood flavor – add together any combination of fresh shrimp, clams, fish egg or oysters with the tofu.
mushroom flavor – add a handful of sliced shitake, white or oyster mushrooms
combination – add whatsoever combination of the above ingredients and it will all sense of taste good! Merely remember to add the seasonings in incremental amounts to brand sure it does not become likewise salty.

Also a neat recipe for college students or singles to have because once y'all take the yangnyeom made, the rest is and then easy and quick that it would have no time and very few ingredients to make it. So I hope yous savor this wonderful gluten costless, meatless, low fatty, high protein dish that's both delicious and filling. Also, please try the different variations and find your ain favorite combination. Would love to hear what your favorites are!!!

For college students

Recently, when I visited my daughter at her school, I fabricated a batch of the gochu yangnyum (3T) + fish sauce(3 t) + gook kanjang (2 T) + salt (one 1/two t) and besides bought her few packets of the sundubu. She was able to make the sundubu jjigae with just the yangnyeom at her dorm and she said it came out swell. I call up she said she increased the corporeality of the yangnyeom a bit since in that location was no other ingredients to add. So kids, the next time you visit habitation, make a batch of the yangnyeom and bring it dorsum with you to your dorm!