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Korean Soft Tofu Stew in a clay pot with an egg yolk and green onions as garnish

How To Make Korean Soft Tofu Stew!

Grace Stewart
Korean Soft Tofu Stew (aka Sundubu Jigae) is an absolutely delicious stew! You won't believe how easy and quick it is to make this awesome comfort food!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Making anchovy broth 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 2 people (large servings)

Equipment

  • Dolsot (Korean hotpot bowl optional but nice!)
  • Cheesecloth (optional for straining anchovy broth)

Ingredients
  

Anchovy Broth

  • 15 large dried anchovies heads and guts removed
  • 4 cups water

Jigae

  • ¼ cup pork sausage cut into small pieces; can sub pork belly
  • 16 oz soft tofu you can sub 1 tube of soon tofu
  • ½ onion (large) cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes/powder) you can vary the amount according to how spicy you like it!
  • 2 tablespoon gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) you can vary the amount according to how spicy you like it!
  • ¼ cup dried Shiitake mushrooms rehydrate these before adding to the jigae (add hot water to them and let sit for a few minutes to rehydrate)
  • 1 green onion sliced for garnish
  • 1 ts soy sauce
  • 1 ts sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 eggs 1 for each person

Instructions
 

Anchovy Broth

  • Prepare your anchovies by removing the heads and the guts (black parts). Add the prepared anchovies to your anchovy strainer or a mesh bag. Add to the 4 cups of water in a large saucepan, bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. When finished simmering, remove the strainer/bag from the broth. If you have cheesecloth, it's very nice to strain any stray bits out so you have a clear broth. You can also take these out with a spoon.
    Anchovies in an anchovy strainer

Jigae (Stew)

  • Heat up sesame oil in a large saucepan (or your dolsot) on medium high. Add the garlic, sausage, and gochugaru and stir for about a minute to combine all the ingredients.
    Garlic, sliced pork sausage, and gochugaru in a saucepan
  • Add the anchovy broth along with the onions, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, gochugaru and gochujang to the saucepan. Give it a good stir and bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.
    Anchovy broth, gochugaru, gochujang, onions, shiitake mushrooms in a saucepan
  • Break up the tofu into bite sized pieces and add to your saucepan (or dolsot). At this point add sugar and a little bit of soy sauce and fish sauce, taste, and adjust further if necessary by adding more fish sauce, sesame oil, or gochugaru if you prefer it a bit more spicy. Now bring it to the boil once more.
    Tofu added to stew in a saucepan
  • If you have cooked this in a dolsot you are ready to add your green onions and raw egg! If the jigae is in a saucepan, then transfer it to your bowls or dolsot then add your garnish and egg. The heat of the dish will cook your egg when you break it and stir it into your hot stew. PLEASE NOTE: This will be enough for 2 large servings or 3 servings.
    Korean Soft Tofu Stew with raw egg

Notes

PLEASE NOTE: This will be enough for 2 large servings or 3 servings.
If the stew is completely hot and bubbling in your dolsot, you can add the egg and let it sit until the heat of the dish cooks it a bit.
If you have a regular bowl you are using, please break up the egg and stir it into your hot jigae...this will cook the egg.
Serve with rice and some delicious Korean banchan!
Enjoy!! 
Keyword Soup, spicy, stew
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