Jennifer Joyce

Kimchee and Tofu Soup

Jjigae

Preparation info

  • Serves

    4

    • Difficulty

      Easy

    • Ready in

      45 min

Appears in

My Asian Kitchen

My Asian Kitchen

By Jennifer Joyce

Published 2018

  • About

You might need to mop the sweat off your brow when you slurp down a bowl of this ‘for-kimchee-lovers-only’ Korean soup. Preferably make it with a mild dashi stock as the kimchee packs plenty of assertiveness, although traditionally in Seoul they use an anchovy-based stock, which isn’t for the meek hearted. If you have access to good kimchee in a jar, it makes this soup even simpler to prepare.

Ingredients

  • 375 g 13 oz) kimchee, plus 4 tbsp juices
  • 1 onion, sliced in half moons
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
  • 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 350 ml (9½ fl oz) stock
  • 6 spring onions (scallions), chopped
  • 200 g 7 oz) pork shoulder steak
  • 300 g (10½ oz) silken tofu
  • 10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Method

In a large, heavy saucepan, add the kimchee and its juices, the onion, soy, sesame oil, chilli paste, Korean chilli flakes, sugar, the stock and two-thirds of the spring onion. Cut the pork into thin slices and add to the pan. Place a lid on and let simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.

Open the lid and give it a stir. Drain the tofu and slice into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces. Add the tofu and mushrooms on top of the soup and steam for another 3–4 minutes.

Serve the soup with bowls of warm rice and a sprinkling of the remaining spring onions.