Korean Soft Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae)

About This Recipe

Sundubu jjigae is a fiery, comforting Korean stew built around uncurdled, silky soft tofu that's barely holding its shape, simmered in a red, gochugaru-spiked broth with pork or seafood, and finished with a raw egg cracked in at the very end so it gently cooks in the residual heat. The stew is traditionally served bubbling hot in a stone bowl (ttukbaegi), which keeps it at a rolling simmer even at the table — timing the egg's addition for right before serving is what gives the dish its signature just-set, silky egg finish.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 tubesoft/silken tofu(about 350g)
• 150 gpork belly or shoulder(thinly sliced)
• 2 tbspgochugaru(Korean chile flakes)
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspfish sauce
• 2 cupsanchovy or chicken stock
• 1scallion(sliced)
• 1egg
• 1 tspsoy sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the base

   Heat sesame oil in a pot over medium heat. Add pork and cook 3-4 minutes until no longer pink.

2. 2

   Bloom the gochugaru

   Add garlic and gochugaru, stirring for 1 minute to bloom the chile flakes in the oil.

3. 3

   Add stock

   Pour in stock, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the tofu

   Gently spoon the soft tofu into the pot in large chunks, being careful not to break it up too much. Simmer 5 minutes.

   Use a spoon rather than a knife to portion the tofu — it should stay silky and barely holding shape.

5. 5

   Crack in the egg

   Just before serving, crack the egg directly into the bubbling stew and let it cook gently in the residual heat for 1-2 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve immediately

   Garnish with scallion and serve piping hot with a side of steamed rice.

Variations

• •

  Use shrimp or clams instead of pork for a seafood version.

• •

  Make it vegetarian with mushrooms and vegetable stock instead of pork and fish sauce.

• •

  Add kimchi to the broth for extra tang and depth.

Storage

Best eaten immediately; the tofu breaks down further and the egg overcooks if the stew sits, so it doesn't reheat particularly well.

Frequently Asked Questions