Korean Spicy Tofu Stew (Soon Dubu Jjigae)

This year winter is coming a little late. We haven't had much snow all winter and just when we thought spring is coming, it keeps getting colder and snow keeps falling. On a cold wintry day, what is one of the best ways to keep happy and warm? Something spicy and bubbling hot.....Korean spicy tofu stew (soon dubu jjigae) is easily one of my top choices.

I fell in love with this stew dish after moving to US. I used to live close to a very popular Korean restaurant which served only spicy tofu stew and BBQ beef ribs. The stew was so good I would crave for and eat it almost once a week, patiently standing-in-line on weekends. Spicy flavorful broth with silky soft home-made tofu and seafood/beef makes it an irresistible combination. The stew is cooked in a thick porcelain pot and served directly in the pot bubbling hot. Right before eating, crack a raw egg into the stew and mmm.....I think you get the idea.

I enjoy this dish so much I decided to buy my own Korean porcelain pots to re-create it at home. This highly-rated stew recipe from Maangchi, which I have cooked many times, taste very similar to the restaurant version. Imagine being able to make in your own kitchen soon dubu like the famous restaurant!

Both fresh ingredients and stock flavor are critical for this dish. The stock gets its flavor from dried anchovies, kelp, dried shiitake mushroom, onion, garlic in addition to any seafood/meat added. Use extra soft or silken tofu, adjust spiciness level according to taste, and in less than an hour you can enjoy a satisfying one-pot meal at home.

RECIPE FOR KOREAN SPICY TOFU STEW
Adapted from Maangchi

Serves 2

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Ingredients

Stock
6 cups water
1/2 cup dried anchovies
1/3 cup dried kelp
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 onion
5 cloves garlic

Others
2 Tbsp olive oil
100g ground beef (or pork)
2 to 5 Tbsp hot pepper flakes
6 shrimp
2½ Tbsp fish sauce
2 tubes extra soft or silken tofu
2 stalks scallion, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 tsp sesame oil


Steps:

Stock Preparation:

1) Add 6 cups water, dried anchovies, dried kelp, dried shiitake mushrooms, onion and garlic into a pot. Bring to boil over high heat and boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and boil for another 15 minutes.

2) Strain stock and set aside stock and shiitake mushrooms. Discard the rest of stock ingredients. Cut mushrooms into thin slices.

Cooking Stew:

3) Over medium heat, heat up 2 Tbsp olive oil in porcelain or claypot. Add ground beef and stir-fry slightly. Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry slightly.

4) Add hot pepper flakes (according to spicy level preference).
Stir-fry for 1/2 to 1 minute till fragrant (be careful not to burn it or it will taste bitter).

• 2 Tbsp - mild
• 3 Tbsp - medium
• 4 Tbsp - hot
• 5 Tbsp - very hot!

5) Add stock (about 3 cups) to pot and bring to a boil.

6) Add shrimp and 2½ Tbsp of fish sauce. Add tofu and break it up into smaller pieces with ladle.

7) When stock boils, add chopped scallions. Crack eggs into pot and drizzle sesame oil. Serve immediately in pot.

Notes:
- If you are using a larger pot, cook everything in one pot.
- If you are using individual pots, divide ingredients into 2 portions.