It’s freezing here in Seattle, so Chef K and I have been making a lot of soups lately. A warm belly will keep you warm through the winter. If the hot soup doesn’t keep you warm, the spice of this soondubu jjigae will!
The other reason I wanted to make this soondubu was because my best friend got me a stone pot for Christmas. It’s a traditional pot used for Korean stews and rice dishes. The pot doubles as a cooking and serving vessel (as some of you know, my goal in cooking is always to have the least amount of dishes).
Of course, you don’t have to use this specific pot to make this dish, a small pot works just fine. Then you can transfer to a soup bowl to enjoy!
Soondubu specifically references the tofu that is used in this soup. Soondubu is an extra soft and silky tofu that is not pressed, so it has a high water content. It usually comes in a tube that you can squeeze right into the soup and easily break it up with a spoon. The tofu is very soft, so be gentle and don’t over mash it!
Keep your tofu in your soup, not the floor,
Your favorite alternative chefs, K & T
Vegan Soondubu Jjigae
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 green onion chopped white and green parts separated
- ½ medium onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and sliced
- 1 cup kimchi chopped
- 2 tsp gochugaru
- 2 tsp tamari
- 1-2 tbsp kimchi juice
- 2 inch piece of kelp
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- Salt to taste
- 1 package extra soft tofu
- 1 bunch enoki mushrooms
- 1 egg optional
Instructions
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Heat up a small pot over medium heat, add sesame oil, white part of the green onion, and sliced onion to the pot. Saute until the onion starts to become translucent.
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Then, add garlic, mushrooms, and kimchi to the pot. Saute for a minute or two.
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Next, add gochugaru, tamari, and kimchi juice. Saute for another minute.
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Lastly, add kelp and vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Season with salt to taste. Let soup boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
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Add soft tofu and enoki mushrooms. Break the tofu up in the pot. Let cook another 4 to 5 minutes.
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Serve with chopped green onion on top. Optionally, crack an egg in before serving (while the soup is hot).