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5.0 from 3 votes

Kimchi Soondubu Jjigae (Spicy Soft Tofu Stew with Kimchi)

One of the variations of the spicy soft tofu stew (순두부 찌게 Soondubu Jjigae) with kimchi and beef. Adding kimchi makes the jjigae explode with flavors.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 2
Calories: 235 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

  • 1 pack extra soft tofu (순두부 Soondubu) (순두부 / Soondubu, 1 pack is 11oz / 311.85g extra soft tofu)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp gochu yangnyum (chili sauce) (see notes)
  • 2- 3 oz beef (stew meat) or pork belly, cubed (optional)
  • 4 oz kimchi (or 1/2 cup, roughly chopped)
  • 1 egg (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Once you have the gochu yangnyum (chili sauce) already made, it really is very simple and quick to make. Get the recipe here.
  2. Measure about 1/2 cup of well-fermented kimchi (a handful) and chop it roughly into small pieces or slice into thin strips.  
  3. Cut up beef or pork into small cubes. The amount of meat doesn’t have to be exact. Use either a similar amount or less meat when compared to the amount of kimchi. In my opinion, pork goes better with kimchi. 
  4. Add the kimchi and the meat to your hot pot and cook over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes until meat is slightly cooked.
  5. Add 1/2 cup water and tofu. Break up the tofu into smaller pieces so the tofu gets seasoned evenly. Add 1 Tbs gochu yangnyum and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary. When kimchi is added, you will most likely not need any additional soy sauce or salt or saewoojeot because kimchi is already quite salty.
  6. If you like eggs, crack an egg and add it to the pot when you are ready to eat. You can break up the egg if you like or leave it whole. If you like it fully cooked, let it cook fully on the stove. If you like your eggs to be soft in the middle, take the jjigae off the heat as soon as you add the egg and let it cook slowly in the residual heat.
  7. Serve with rice, some less spicy, savory jeons or meat dishes like bulgogi. Add a refreshing salad or fresh vegetable dish and it should be a very healthy and tummy warming meal.

Notes

  • Get the recipe for gochu yangnyum in my original soondubu jjigae post.
  • It’s always best to use fully fermented, ripe kimchi for cooking. When the kimchi is fully fermented, the smell is more pungent but the taste is smoother than when it’s freshly made. A ripe kimchi is slightly sour but has a zing to it that you just cannot taste in any other dish.  The sourness will increase as the fermentation process continues and it’s just a matter of personal taste how sour you want your kimchi to be.

Nutrition Information

Calories 235kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 132mg (44%) Sodium 231mg (10%) Potassium 243mg (7%) Vitamin A 415IU (8%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 30mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 235

% Daily Value*

Calories 235kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 231mg 10%
Potassium 243mg 5%
Vitamin A 415IU 8%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 30mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.