Quarter four (4) of last year, I was cramming to meet some of the goals before 2024 ended. Here's another recipe I followed for the first time at home. I lived in Cebu City but the nearest supermarket where we usually shop for our groceries are smaller than the ones in Ayala, SM and Colon. I had difficulty securing all the ingredients and didn't want to hop from one supermarket to another just to find the original ingredients; I had to unleash my creativity and resourcefulness to make this recipe a success.
List of Ingredients:
- Kikkoman Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp or as needed
- Lee Kum Kee Chili Garlic Sauce, 1 tsp
- Korean Red Pepper Paste (Gochujang); in lieu of Korean chili powder or Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), 1-2 tbsp
- S&B Chili Oil, 1 tsp
- Green onion, thinly sliced
- Tofu, about 100g
- Enoki mushrooms, 50g or as desired
- Shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced, 50g or as desired
- 1 egg
- Black Pepper
- Kimchi (I added some since we have stocks at home), 50g or as desired
Cooking instructions:
Cooking this stew will be quick and easy and doesn't require the chef in you to come out and extend help. You'll be just fine if you follow the instructions below. Again, this is not the standard way of cooking sundubu jjigae. I made up all the steps below; follow at your own risk! LOL! 🤣 But I can guarantee that it tasted great and my boyfriend devoured most of it. That's more than enough proof that this recipe does work.
- At first, I used a big pan but later on realized I won't needing such a huge pan; I shifted to a smaller pan, sautéd some onion in the chili oil.
- I added the kimchi and sautéd it together with the onion. I thought the kimchi's innate flavor will make the stew tastier and more korean.
I don't know why I wasn't able to take photos of the next steps but anyway, I'll walk you through them.
In a small bowl, dilute gochujang in water (300-400ml or as desired). Make sure you've completely mixed the Gochujang before adding anything else. Add the chili garlic sauce, pepper, and soy sauce; mix thoroughly. Pour the soup base in the pot and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Try the soup and adjust the taste according to your preference.
- Add everything else one after the other. Lay on top of the soup base your tofu, shiitake mushroom and enoki mushroom. Allow the stew to simmer for another 2-4 minutes. Then add the egg and some green onion to add more flavor.
- And that's it! You can then serve this korean stew to your family and friends who love some spicy food for either lunch or dinner. Take note that this dish is best served when oozing hot. The hotness of the stew when eaten will make a big difference on how this will taste; just like any soup, best serve right after cooking.
The pot where I cook my first ever Sundubu Jjigae might be small but never underestimate the power of tofu and mushroom; this dish filled our hungry stomachs. Hope this new recipe of mine inspires you to be creative at any craft and for sure, you'll be rewarded.
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