Dubu Jjigae (Tofu Stew)

두부찌개
A very popular stew featuring tofu as the main ingredient, dubu jjigae is on most Korean restaurant menus, and has spawned a host of specialty restaurants that serve only dubu based soups, stews, and braises. In non-specialty restaurants, a small bowl of dubu jjigae may be served as part of a Korean grilled meat dinner combination.

Servings: 4

Recipe Type: Korean, Recipe, Soup

Ingredients

3/4 pound pork — (shoulder, neck meat, etc)

1 tablespoon neutral flavored cooking oil

3 medium zucchini

1 package soft tofu

2 scallions — (or 4 medium green onions)

1 large green or red hot chili pepper — (Korean gochu)

4 cups unsalted beef broth

Optional

1 cup kimchi

1 tablespoon doenjang — (Korean soybean paste)

Meat Seasoning

2 cloves garlic

1 small onion

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons gochujang — (Korean red pepper paste)

Procedure

Preparation

Cut the pork into roughly 1 inch by 1/2 inch pieces.

Thin slice the garlic and onion from top to bottom.

Mix the pork, onion, garlic, sesame oil, salt, and pepper together in a mixing bowl and let stand for ten minutes.

Slice the zucchini on a diagonal, about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.

Cut the tofu into 1 inch thick slices, then cut the slice into 1 inch cubes.

If used, thin the doenjang with 1 tablespoon water and gently mix with the tofu, then let stand ten minutes.

If used, cut the kimchi into roughly 1 inch by 2 inch strips.

Rough chop the scallions.

Thin slice the chili pepper.

Cook

Method 1 (stone bowl preparation)

Divide the zucchini, tofu, chili pepper, and scallion into four equal portions.

Heat the oil in a stir fry pan over medium high heat.

Add the pork mixture and stir fry until the pork is no longer pink (3 to 5 minutes).

Add the gochujang and stir fry about two more minutes.

Remove from heat and divide into four equal portions, placing one portion into each of four stone bowls.

Add 1 cup of broth to each bowl and bring to a light boil over medium heat.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for about fifteen minutes.

Add 1 portion of zucchini to each bowl, increase heat to medium, and cook about two minutes, until zucchini is just becoming tender.

Add 1 portion of the tofu to each bowl, stir, and cook for another two minutes.

Add 1 portion each of scallion (kimchi if used) and chili pepper to each bowl, then simmer another minute.

Increase heat to high to gain a rolling boil.

Place boiling soup bowls on protective platters and serve with steamed white rice and banchan.

Method 2 (1 pot preparation)

Heat oil in a medium to large pot over high heat.

Add the pork mixture and “stir fry” over high heat for three to five minutes (until pork is no longer pink).

Add the gochujang and cook another two minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for about fifteen minutes. Add the zucchini and simmer for another two to three minutes.

Add tofu and simmer another two minutes.

Add scallions (kimchi if used) and sliced chili pepper and simmer for one more minute.

Ladle into four bowls and serve with steamed white rice and banchan.

Author: hannaone

Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.