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Sundubu-jjigae (Korean spicy soft tofu stew with seafood), the whole dishSundubu-jjigae (Korean spicy soft tofu stew with seafood), close up

Sundubu-jjigae (Korean spicy soft tofu stew with seafood)

35 min · 45 g protein · 594 cals / serving

The bubbling red stew Korean restaurants bring to the table still boiling: spoonfuls of custard-soft tofu in a spicy, savoury broth built on chilli oil and kimchi, with shrimp, clams and zucchini, and an egg cracked in at the end to poach in the heat. Eat it with a bowl of rice, alternating fiery and plain.

Servings4

Ingredients

To serve

Stew

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tsp dashi granules, or 3 cups anchovy-kelp stock in place of the water
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes, Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru). Not crushed red pepper: if that is all you have, use 2 tsp of it plus 2 tbsp sweet paprika for the colour
  • 3 green onions, white parts sliced for the pot, green tops kept to finish
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup kimchi, well fermented, chopped
  • 2 lb (about 3 tubes, 11–12 oz each) soft tofu, silken or extra-soft (sundubu)
  • 1 small zucchini, in half-moons
  • 10 oz shrimp, peeled
  • 1 lb (450 g) small clams in the shell steamed clams, scrubbed
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce, Korean soup soy sauce if you have it
  • 4 tsp fish sauce
  • 4 large eggs

Steps

  1. Cook the rice. Stir the dashi granules into the water to make a quick stock.
  2. Warm the oil in a wide, heavy pot or two Korean earthenware pots over LOW heat. Add the chilli flakes and the white parts of the green onion and stir for about 1 minute, until the oil turns brick red and smells toasty. Do not let the chilli darken or it turns bitter.Step 2, what it should look like
  3. Add the onion, garlic and kimchi, turn the heat to medium and stir-fry 2–3 minutes, until the onion softens.
  4. Spoon in the tofu in big pieces, then add the zucchini, shrimp and clams and pour in enough stock to just cover. Bring to a boil and simmer 5–6 minutes, until the clams open (throw away any that stay shut) and the shrimp are pink and opaque (145°F). Break the tofu up a little with the spoon, but keep it in soft chunks.Step 4, what it should look like
  5. Season with the soy sauce and fish sauce, then taste and add salt if needed.
  6. Crack the eggs onto the surface, scatter the green onion tops over and let it bubble 1–2 minutes, until the whites are set; take it off the heat if you like the yolks runny. Serve boiling hot with the rice.Step 6, what it should look like

Good to know

Which tofu is sundubu?

The softest one: silken, or Korean sundubu sold in tubes. Firm or regular 'soft' tofu holds its shape and gives a different, chewier stew.

How do I make it milder or hotter?

Gochugaru carries the heat. Use 1 tbsp for mild, about the same score, the full amount for restaurant-medium, or add a sliced fresh chilli for very spicy. Crushed red pepper is several times hotter, so never swap it in spoon for spoon: use 2 tsp of it plus 2 tbsp sweet paprika for the colour.

Do I need an earthenware pot?

No. A Korean ttukbaegi keeps the stew boiling at the table, which is part of the fun, but any heavy pot works; bring it to the table bubbling.

Alternative

Per

Calories
72
Protein
(30%)
6 g
Fat
(34%)
3 g
Carbohydrates
(35%)
7 g
of which sugar
1 g
Fiber
1 g
Sodium
219 mg

More meals

Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How

As written, 2376 kcal goes into the pot and 2999 g of ingredients comes out as about 3280 g of food: 72 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.