Silky spicy savoriness all in one bite! I can eat this everyday with a hot steamy bowl of rice!
Soup is one of those ultimate comfort foods! One of my favorites happens to be the Spicy Korean Tofu soup with vegetables. I can eat this everyday with a hot steamy bowl of rice! I think I was late in my twenties when I started eating spicy tofu soup and seafood pancakes. I was hooked and the addiction has not cease at all!
The Korean Spicy Tofu soup is deliciously decadent and rich in flavors. You can eat it with seafood mixes, vegetables only or with beef, pork and chicken. The flavors go well with any types of vegetables or meats. But the main and most common ingredient is the fresh curdled soft tofu that has not been pressed or strained into a firmer more meatier textured tofu. The Asian markets sell them in tubes. Those are the softest tofu available. To this dish, you'll find sardines, chili paste and chili powder as the main flavoring agents. It is cooked directly in a clay serving bowl and topped with a raw egg right before consumption! I adore this dish and am so grateful that I can enjoy so many diverse dishes from all over the world in the California Bay Area!
You don't need a clay serving bowl to make this soup, but it is fun to use one! Use any pot you would like. And I am using pickled and fresh veggies for my tofu soup today. This is purely my version of the Korean Spicy Tofu soup and I tried to mimic the flavors as closely as possible, but in a quicker cooking manner so that I can enjoy it at home. I hope you enjoy this quick and easy version that I've created!
Ingredients
Recipe will produce a standard portion in an individual clay pot that fits up to 3 cups of content.
1-1.5 cups chicken broth
1 cup julienned vegetables (mushrooms, carrots, daikons, green onions, leeks, zucchinis, leafy greens, napa cabbage or any type you would like)
1 cup soft tofu (preferably from tube)
1/4 cup Kimchee
2-3 sardines (dried or from canister)
1 tsp Korean red chili paste (Gochujang Paste)
1-2 tbsp Korean red chili flakes (Gochujang Flakes)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (more for later)
1-2 cloves garlic sliced
1 egg
Method
Grab a pot or single serving clay pot. Don't turn on heat yet if using clay pot. They are temperamental so we'll need to start everything at the same temperature.
Prepare your veggies. Wash and julienne them. You can also use picked veggies if you have some in your fridge. You'll need to make sure to they fit into 1-cup full.
To the bottom of your pot, add the veggies and pour in 1 cup of chicken stock.
Turn on heat to medium-high. Let it come to a simmer and reduce heat to medium.
Add the kimchee.
Now, to the seasonings. Add the chili paste, chili flakes, salt, black pepper, garlic and sardines. Mix well to break up the chili paste. It's sticky!
Add in tofu and more chicken stock if needed.
Let the mixture come to a boil again and drop in the egg. Crack some fresh black pepper to top it off.
It's ready! Turn on heat and serve immediately! Bon Appétit!