Korea · Soups

Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)

One of the most popular Korean stews: silky unpressed soft tofu (sundubu) spooned in large chunks into a fiery gochugaru-and-anchovy broth with kimchi, pork belly, zucchini, and mushrooms.

35 min✻4 servings✻410 kcal
Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)

Ingredients

  • sundubu400 g
  • pork belly150 g
  • well-fermented kimchi150 g
  • gochugaru2 tbsp
  • sesame oil1 tbsp
  • garlic cloves4
  • small onion0.5
  • fish sauce1 tbsp
  • anchovy-kelp stock600 ml
  • small zucchini, sliced into half-moons1
  • mushrooms100 g
  • eggs4
  • scallions2
  • toasted sesame oil1 tsp

Method

  1. 1Build the flavor base. Cut everything first: slice the pork belly into thin bite-size pieces 3–4 cm long, mince the garlic, finely chop the onion, slice the mushrooms and chop the scallions. Heat the sesame oil in a small heavy pot or ttukbaegi (earthenware pot) over medium heat. Add the pork belly and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the fat begins to render. Add the garlic and onion and stir-fry 1 minute until fragrant. Add the gochugaru and stir vigorously for 30 seconds — the red pepper flakes bloom in the hot oil, deepening their color and flavor without burning. This step creates the characteristic red-oil base of Korean jjigae.
  2. 2Add kimchi and build the broth. Add the chopped kimchi and its juice. Stir and cook 2 minutes until the kimchi softens slightly and the juice evaporates. Pour in the anchovy-kelp stock. Add the fish sauce. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Taste the broth — it should be spicy, salty, and savory with a clear sour note from the kimchi. This is the flavor foundation; adjust fish sauce for salt.
  3. 3Add vegetables and tofu. Add the zucchini and the sliced mushrooms. Simmer 3 minutes. Spoon the soft tofu directly from its container in large chunks — do not cut it in advance, and do not stir after adding. The tofu must stay in intact pieces. Simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes until the tofu is heated through. It will quiver when you shake the pot — this is correct.
  4. 4Crack the eggs and finish. Keep the stew at a gentle boil — do not take it off the heat. Crack the eggs straight into the pot, one per diner, spaced apart. Let them bubble 1 to 2 minutes without stirring, until the whites are opaque and set; the yolks stay soft. For children, pregnant women and anyone who avoids soft eggs, simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the yolks are firm too. Scatter the chopped scallions over the top and drizzle with the toasted sesame oil. Do not stir — serve at once, eggs intact, so each diner breaks the yolk themselves.
  5. 5Serve. Bring the pot directly to the table bubbling. Serve with steamed short-grain rice alongside — jjigae is not eaten alone. Spoon the tofu and broth over rice and break the egg yolk into the broth. Eat from the shared pot, or ladle into bowls, giving each person one of the eggs.