It was amazing to get so many requests for extra soft tofu soup, soondubu jjigae. This proves that many people in the world like this soup. The broth is spicy and matches great with the extra soft tofu. With the same basic seasonings used in this soup, you can make a different variety such as beef or clam. You can also put both in as I did in this recipe. The kimchi is optional. I’m very happy with this recipe, so I hope you like this too. 😀
Yield: 2 Servings
Short Korean Lesson
- SaRangHaeYo (사랑해요) = I love you.
- JoAHaeYo (좋아해요) = I like you.
Video Instructions
Main Ingredients
- 1 Pack Extra Soft Tofu (SoonDuBu) 11 oz
- ¼ Cup Beef (2oz)
- ¼ Cup Kimchi
- ½ Pack Enokitake Mushroom
- ⅓ Cup Zucchini
- ½ Onion
- 1 Green Onion
- 1 Hot Pepper
- 1 Egg
Beef Ingredients
- ½ tsp Cooking Wine
- ¼ tsp Soy Sauce
- ¼ tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Pinch Black Pepper
Broth Ingredients
Seasoning Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Red Pepper Powder
- 1 Tbsp Oil
- ½ Tbsp Hot Pepper Oil
- 1 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce
- ½ Tbsp Minced Garlic
- Some Salt
- Some Black Pepper
Directions
Cut ¼ cup of beef into thin strips.
Marinate the beef with ½ tsp of cooking wine, ¼ tsp of soy sauce, ¼ tsp of minced garlic, and a pinch of black pepper while you are preparing the other ingredients.
Rinse the clams once in cold water.
To make the broth, cook 10 clams and 5 pieces of kelp in 2½ cups of water for 5 minutes on high.
Cut ½ of an onion, 1 green onion, and 1 hot pepper into ½-inch pieces. Prepare ½ pack of Enokitake mushroom by removing the bottom part of it. You can also use shiitake mushrooms or another kind of mushroom.
Chop ¼ cup of kimchi into bite sized pieces.
5 Minutes later, remove the clams and kelp from the broth and save the clams for later.
In a heated pan, fry 2 Tbsp of red pepper powder, 1 Tbsp of oil, and ½ Tbsp of minced garlic for 10 seconds on high.
Add the marinated beef and fry until it is half cooked.
Add the onion and kimchi. Fry until the beef is completely cooked.
Pour the broth into the pan.
Add 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce and the zucchini. Cook on high.
The extra soft tofu packaging has a cutting line marked on it at the end of the packaging. However it is easier to cut the whole package in half lengthwise and remove the soft tofu with a spoon.
Once it starts to boil add 1 pack of soft tofu, one spoonful at a time.
Then add the Enokitake mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes on medium high.
5 Minutes later, add the cooked clams, the green onions and pepper. Cook for another minute.
Taste it because you might want to add some more salt and black pepper.
Lastly, add 1 egg and turn off the heat.
If you want, drizzle a little bit of sesame oil on top before serving. Personally, I prefer to skip the sesame oil for mine. 😉
Soft tofu soup mixed with rice doesn’t need any other side dishes. This is yummy. I hope you like this recipe. Thanks.
Rose says
October 7, 2018 at 4:06 AMReally enjoy your recipes as usual. Tried this today after studying this recipe and the veg version. I fried the green onions in oil and man you’re so right – it tasted so much better! I also added quite a bit of salt to make it more “restaurant like”. Thanks for sharing!
Farahiyah says
March 31, 2018 at 9:54 PMHi Aeri.
I always browsing aeriakitchen.com for korea cuisine recipes for years now. Sometimes I just like watching you cook.
Currently, I’m studing this sundubu recipe to try. I would like to exclude any kind of cooking wine or alcohol in my cooking. Do I need to replace it with something, vinegar perhaps or I can just omit it?
It has come to my knowledge that cooking wine is often used to get rid of unpleasent smell from beef, seafood or any kind of protein. Is it deliver the same function in this recipe?
Thank you in advance.
Farahiyah from Malaysia.
Aeri Lee says
May 14, 2018 at 3:34 PMhi Farahiyah,
I’m sorry for my late reply. About your question, yes you are right about the use of cooking wine in Korean cooking. And usually the amount is not that much.. few Tbsp ..something like this.. I will suggest to just omit it or replace it with water.. it will be still fine. 🙂
Christine Ahn says
February 10, 2017 at 7:04 PMHi aeri I don’t want to use beef – what to replace it with? Thank you!
Aeri Lee says
February 18, 2017 at 1:32 PMhi Christine Ahn,
Actually many people use pork for this kind of dish in Korea..since pork is much cheaper than beef there. So you can use port too. thanks
ami says
July 19, 2014 at 11:14 AMcan you do this with tuna? I saw that you have one with tuna but it doesn’t have the extra soft tofu or seafood in it…
Aeri Lee says
July 25, 2014 at 11:19 AMhi ami,
Maybe you are talking about tuna kimchi jjigae? http://aeriskitchen.com/2008/12/kimchi-soup-%EA%B9%80%EC%B9%98-%EC%B0%8C%EA%B0%9Ckimchi-jjigae/ Thanks
Sally says
December 26, 2013 at 9:56 AMHello aeris, i can’t find kelp in my country. But i can have anchovy. How much anchovy i need to subsitute the kelp? So to make the broth can i use both clam & anchovy? & i dont have the pot, can i cook it with stainless pot? Thankyou so much 🙂
Aeri Lee says
December 26, 2013 at 10:51 AMhi Sally,
just skip the kelp and follow rest of the recipe,, you do not want too much anchovy flavor in it ^^
u can use the pot u use for ur soup… hope u like this recipe .. thanks
Sally says
December 26, 2013 at 8:13 PMThankyou so much! 😉
Aeri Lee says
January 2, 2014 at 5:54 PMhi Sally,
You are more than welcome. 😉
Christine says
December 5, 2013 at 6:12 PMHi Aeri, if I wanted to make 4 servings, would I just double the amount of each ingredient? How about the time? For example, I’m supposed to add 10 clams and 5 pieces of kelp in 2 1/2 cups of water and boil for 10 minutes. For 4 servings, would I add 20 clams and 10 pieces of kelp in 5 cups of water and boil for 10 minutes or 20 minutes?
Aeri Lee says
December 14, 2013 at 4:23 PMhi Christine,
Yes, you can double the ingredient amount. Many times, I mention.. once it starts to boil.. the reason I say that is.. depending on stove.. temperature.. the cooking time can be various.. so again.. the more water will take longer to start to boil.. but once it is start to boil.. the cooking time should be same.. ^^
Shan says
May 10, 2013 at 8:16 PMHi would you mind telling me the different kinds of sundubu jjigae? I have already tried haemul sundubu jjigae, which I love, and I would like a bigger variety to choose from. thanks 😛
Aeri Lee says
May 12, 2013 at 4:18 PMkimchi sundubu jjigae, beef sundubu jjigae, fish sundubu jjigae, oyster sundubu jjigae, etc.. depends on what kind of ingredient you add.. there will be many different kids..
Natalie says
October 27, 2012 at 10:35 PMThank you for this wonderful recipe. I just made it and I am very happy with the flavour.
Nikki says
September 28, 2012 at 11:29 AMHi Aeri,
I just want to ask can I make the Broth with only kelp?
Aeri Lee says
October 8, 2012 at 6:03 PMhi Nikki,
Yes, you can..just you will lose some good flavor from clam.. but it will be still okay. 🙂
Rose says
July 16, 2012 at 9:23 AMHi aerie where can I purchase those traditional pots? Also what are they called? Thank you
Aeri Lee says
July 17, 2012 at 3:27 PMHi Rose,
Check Korean grocery stores, they will have this clay pot. It is called “뚝배기 (TtukBaeGi) in Korean” Thanks
leihino says
June 19, 2012 at 12:30 AMHi Aeri,
I just want to ask if I dont have kelp, what other ingredient can I used to make the broth taste good? Thanks for sharing and helping us with Korean with. Your effort is very appreciated 😀
Aeri Lee says
June 25, 2012 at 7:32 AMhi leihino,
You can skip the kelp or.. can use some dried anchovies if you have.. the clam will give good flavor to the broth.. so don’t worry if you don’t use kelp. thanks
Nelly says
April 1, 2012 at 5:21 PMHi Aeri, to make the broth for sundubu jjigae, if I don’t have clams, what should I use instead? thank you
Aeri Lee says
May 31, 2012 at 11:35 AMhi Nelly,
You can just skip or use other seafood you like too..
Shannon says
February 9, 2012 at 12:57 PMHey Aeri~
I don’t eat sea food at all, so I was wondering what substituent you can use for the broth instead?
THANK YOU~
♥Shannon
Aeri Lee says
February 16, 2012 at 6:36 AMhi Shannon,
Oh.. you don’t eat seafood.. it gives good flavor to it..but since you don’t eat.. you can just skip them.
Shannon says
March 3, 2012 at 6:25 PMOh ok hehe thank you ♥ and btw your son is SO CUTE!!!! ^^