Sundubu jjigae
Soft tofu stew
순두부찌개: spicy silken-tofu stew with clams, prawns and pork, finished with an egg
All over Korea, small lunch restaurants bring sundubu jjigae to the table still boiling in a black stone pot, with a raw egg on the side to crack in while it bubbles. The stew is built on very soft, unpressed tofu, which breaks into creamy curds in a red, chilli-oil broth. Seafood and pork go in together here, though you can use just one. Have it with a bowl of rice and some kimchi; it's especially welcome on a cold day. Chef's tip: fry the chilli flakes gently in oil with the pork and garlic before adding liquid; this red chilli oil gives the stew its colour and a deep, rounded heat.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the chilli base
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 ½ oz pork shoulder or bellythinly sliced or minced
- 3 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- ¼ onionfinely chopped
- 1 ½ tbsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru)
For the stew
- 1 ¾ cups anchovy-kelp stock or water
- 7 oz live clamsscrubbed and soaked in salted water
- 6 raw prawnspeeled and deveined
- 12 ½ oz silken (extra-soft) tofu1 tube or tub
- ¼ courgettediced
- 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)or 2 tsp ordinary soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 pinch saltto taste
- 2 eggs
- 1 spring onionsliced
- 1 green or red chilli (optional)sliced
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Before cooking, tap any open 7 oz live clams on the worktop; throw away any that don't close. Rinse the rest.
Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil in a small heavy pot or stone pot over a medium heat. Add 3 ½ oz pork shoulder or belly, 3 cloves garlic and ¼ onion and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink.
3 minStep 3: Turn the heat to low and stir in 1 ½ tbsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru). Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until the oil turns red; take care, as chilli flakes burn fast and go bitter.
1 minStep 4: Pour in 1 ¾ cups anchovy-kelp stock or water, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Add 7 oz live clams and ¼ courgette, cover and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until the clams open. Throw away any that stay shut.
4 minStep 5: Spoon in 12 ½ oz silken (extra-soft) tofu in big pieces. Common mistake: stirring the pot from now on. Silken tofu breaks into a cloudy mush if you stir it; gently push it into the broth with the back of a spoon instead, keeping large soft curds.
Step 6: Add 6 raw prawns, 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) and 1 tsp fish sauce and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the prawns are pink and opaque all through. Taste and add 1 pinch salt if needed.
3 minStep 7: Crack 2 eggs into the bubbling stew and scatter over 1 spring onion and 1 green or red chilli. Cook for 1 minute for a soft, runny yolk, or 3 minutes with the lid on for a set yolk; set is the safer choice for young children, pregnant women and older people. Serve at once, still bubbling, with rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sundubu jjigae take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of toasted sesame oil?
- Toasted sesame seeds ground with a little vegetable oil.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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