Sundubu Jjigae Spicy Tofu Stew 【순두부찌게 ／スンドゥブチゲ レシピ 】

Sundubu Jjigae - Spicy Tofu Stew 【순두부찌게 ／スンドゥブチゲ レシピ 】

What is Sundubu?

It is a jjigae (Korean stew) made with fresh soft tofu and vegetables.

There are also seafood sundubu jjigae made with shellfish using oysters, mussels, clams and shrimp, meat based ones using beef or pork, and kimchi based ones too. A raw egg is then added in the jjigae just before serving, and the dish is delivered while it's bubbling vigorously.

Usually, a Korean earthenware pot (Ttukbaegi뚝배기) is used to prepare this dish but we do not have this readily in most Singapore homes. 

As a substitute, a claypot can be used as it retains heat well. 

You can use a donabe pot like the one I have here, which I bought from Daiso Singapore for just S$2.00! 😸

Today, I will be showing you how to cook mushroom sundubu jjigae because I only have gochujang, tofu, carrots, Japanese leek/scallions and pasteurized eggs available in my fridge. 

This is a simple yet very flavorful dish that can be prepared really easily. 

And as I already have a main meat dish which is the karubi don, 

so the sundubu jjigae makes for the perfect accompaniment dish to it.

INGREDIENTS (Serving for 2)

1 box of silken tofu (S$0.95)

1/2 cup water

4 fresh shiitake mushrooms (cleaned, stem removed and thinly sliced) - S$0.40

1 bunch of enoki mushrooms (stem removed and rinsed briefly in cold water) - S$1.00

1/2 carrot (peeled & sliced)

1 egg (optional)

1 stalk of spring onion (chopped)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp fish sauce

Pinch of sea salt

SEASONING (Yangnyum)

1 tbsp Korean Hot Pepper Paste (gochujang) - 

(*I bought a box of 500g for S$5.90 on RedMart*)

1/2 tsp sugar 

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp minced Garlic  

1/2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

2 tsp of Japanese Cooking Sake

A dash of black pepper

A pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp mirin

1/2 to 1 tbsp Korean Red Chili Pepper Flakes (gochugaru)

(You may reduce or add more based on your preferred spiciness) 

*p/s: cheaper alternative (you can buy red chili flakes for $1.50 a large packet from Giant Supermarket)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix all the seasoning ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Heat up the 1tbsp vegetable oil in the donabe (earthenware pot) on medium high heat.

Add in the mixed seasoning (yangnyum) into the pot and stir to prevent it from being burnt.

Stir & mix well for 3 mins. Off the heat and set it aside.

3. Open up the tofu packaging. Drain off the excess water & cut the tofu in cubes.

Add the cut tofu into the pot and add in 1/2 cup water. 

4. Turn the heat back on to medium high heat.

Add in the sliced carrots, enoki, shiitake mushrooms, salt and fish sauce to cook till it boils, then turn heat to low. Simmer it for about 10mins or till the carrots are cooked. 

5. Crack the egg into the pot & cover with lid till it's semi cooked.

Turn off the heat and add in the spring onions.

6. Serve with white rice.

Based on personal preference, you may break up the egg or leave it whole in the stew.