Korean Soft Tofu Soup (순두부찌개)

I received an email a couple weeks back from one of my readers requesting the Korean soon tofu jigae. So here it is Doreen, this is for you. Thanks for being so patient.

This soup appears more spicy than it actually is. It's up to you as to how spicy you really want it. I love this soup. It's healthy, hearty and perfect for the cold winter days we've been having. This soup is usually available at Korean restaurants and sometimes, if you're lucky, some restaurants specialize in just soon tofu soups. And this is where you'll find the most variety. Believe it or not, my love ate an entire bowl with some rice. He said,"this is good soup mommy." I love that kid.

Made with an anchovy, kelp and shiitake mushroom broth, soon tofu can be vegetarian or the addition of beef can also be made, which makes for a more flavorful soup. I added short rib beef which has a higher fat content and adds more flavor to the soup. You can however use any beef you have available.

Printable Recipe
Ingredients
Anchovy, Kelp, Shiitake Broth
4 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Dried Anchovies, head and guts removed
Kelp
2-3 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
*This will yield about 2-1/2 cups of broth

Soon Tofu Soup
1 tbsp Grape Seed Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped Beef
1-1/2 tbsp Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup Diced Onions
2 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes (add more if you want a spicier soup)
1 Cup Frozen or Fresh Seafood (shrimps, mussels, squid)
1/2 Cup Sliced Zucchini, cut into quarters
Shiitake Mushrooms from the broth chopped
2-3 Scallions, chopped
1 Korean Pepper, sliced
1 Package of Soft Soon Tofu
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the anchovies, kelp and shiitake mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and boil for 20 minutes. Pour the soup through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.

2. Heat up a medium pot and add the grape seed oil and then the beef and saute. Add the minced garlic and onions and saute until beef appears cooked through. Then add the red pepper flakes and saute to combine.

3. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the seafood, zucchini and shiitake mushrooms. Then add the soft tofu using a spoon to scoop the tofu out from the packaging. Top with the sliced peppers and scallions and simmer for about 10 minutes. Lastly, add the egg and allow to cook through a bit. Leaving the yolk runny which will cook a bit more in the soup.

Serve hot with rice. This is a meal in it of itself. I hope you'll try it. Enjoy!