Dubu-jjigae (Tofu Stew)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small ttukbaegi or 2-quart heavy saucepan
• •Slotted spoon or small strainer
• •Sharp knife for clean tofu cuts

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the broth

   Put the water, kelp, and prepared anchovies in a small heavy pot or ttukbaegi over medium heat. When the water reaches a gentle simmer, pull out the kelp right away. Kelp gives body quickly, then turns the broth slick and bitter if you leave it too long. Simmer the anchovies 8 minutes more, then lift them out.

2. 2

   Cut the tofu

   Cut the tofu into slabs about 1/2 inch thick, then into wide rectangles if your block is large. Don't cut it into tiny cubes. This stew is about tofu, and small pieces break before they can carry the broth.

3. 3

   Season the base

   Add the sliced onion, chopped saeujeot, soup soy sauce, and minced garlic to the broth. Simmer 3 minutes, just until the onion begins to soften. The salted shrimp gives savor and salt at the same time, so measure it. One teaspoon seasons the pot without making it taste like shrimp.

4. 4

   Warm the tofu

   Slide the tofu into the pot in one layer or a loose stack. Spoon a little broth over the top and simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes. Keep the boil low. A hard boil knocks the tofu around, clouds the broth, and makes the pieces look tired before they reach the table.

   If you don't have saeujeot, use 1 1/2 teaspoons soup soy sauce total and add a small pinch of salt only after tasting. The taste will be cleaner and less deep, but the stew will still be honest.
5. 5

   Taste and finish

   Taste the broth before adding anything else. If it tastes flat, add another 1/2 teaspoon chopped saeujeot or a pinch of salt. Scatter in the scallion and green chili, if using, and simmer 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil and black pepper only if you want them. They are finishing touches, not the dish.

6. 6

   Serve at once

   Carry the pot straight to the table with hot rice and one or two banchan. Spoon carefully so the tofu stays whole. The broth should be clear, lightly savory, and gentle enough that you still taste the soybean in the tofu. Let it taste like itself.

Chef Tips

• •Buy firm tofu that smells clean and faintly sweet, not sour. If the tofu is packed in water, drain it for 10 minutes while you make the broth, but don't press it dry. This stew wants tenderness, not a chewy block.
• •Saeujeot varies in saltiness. Chop it before measuring so one teaspoon is honest. Big whole pieces make one spoonful bland and the next one too salty.
• •This is a safe place to simplify the vessel. A ttukbaegi keeps heat beautifully, but a small saucepan works. The corner you cannot cut is the broth: water and soy sauce alone will taste thin.

Advance Preparation

• •The anchovy-kelp broth can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated. With broth ready, the stew takes about 15 minutes.
• •Cut the onion and scallion a few hours ahead if you need to, but cut the tofu just before cooking so it keeps its clean edges.
• •Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated. Reheat gently over low heat and stop as soon as the tofu is hot, because repeated boiling toughens it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 380g)