Dubu-jorim
두부조림·(doo-boo-jo-rim)
The Everyday Babsang
If there is one dish that instantly transports any first-generation Korean American back to their childhood kitchen table, it is dubu-jorim. It was the undisputed star of the everyday babsang, a humble, glorious pan-fried tofu that defined the home-packed school lunches of the eighties. Forget the Western internet’s obsession with pressing the living daylights out of tofu to make it dense and meaty. Real Korean home cooking honors the delicate, custardy interior of the soybean. A quick cure, a sear in rustic perilla oil, and a fast braise in anchovy stock are all it takes to bridge the gap between a Tuesday night in Ohio and a grandmother's kitchen in Seoul.
Before you start
Cure the tofu without pressing.
Lay a double layer of paper towels on your counter and place the tofu slices on top. Gently pat the tops dry, then sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt and black pepper. This grandmotherly trick draws out surface moisture for a better crust and seasons the tofu from the inside out while you work.
Mix the braising sauce.
Whisk together the soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, chopped scallions, and anchovy stock in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
Ingredients
- firm tofu14 oz
- fine sea salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- perilla oil1 tbsp
- yellow onion1/2 med
- green chili pepper1 small
- Korean soy sauce3 tbsp
- gochugaru1 tbsp
- sugar1 tbsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- garlic1 tbsp
- scallions2 med
- anchovy stock1/2 cup
- toasted sesame seeds1 tsp
Method
- 01
Pan-fry the tofu to a light golden brown.
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the neutral and perilla oils. Once shimmering, lay the tofu slices in a single layer and sear undisturbed for three to four minutes per side. Patience here yields a beautiful, tear-resistant crust.
- 02
Braise with the aromatics and sauce.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Scatter the sliced onions and chili peppers in the empty spaces between the tofu, then pour the sauce evenly over the pan.
- 03
Baste until the sauce becomes a glossy glaze.
As the liquid bubbles and simmers, use a spoon to continuously baste the sauce over the tops of the tofu pieces. Braise for four to five minutes, until the broth reduces into a sticky, savory coating and the onions soften into sweet ribbons.
- 04
Garnish and serve.
Turn off the heat and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately from the pan alongside a steaming bowl of short-grain white rice.
Notes
Respect the perilla oil.
If you cannot find perilla oil at the Asian market, substitute it with more neutral oil for frying. Do not fry with toasted sesame oil, as its low smoke point will cause it to burn and turn bitter.
The stock hack.
If making anchovy stock from scratch is too tedious for a weeknight, use a modern Korean bouillon tablet, often sold as coin yuksu. Alternatively, half a cup of water mixed with a teaspoon of high-quality fish sauce perfectly mimics the necessary savory depth.
It tastes just as good cold the next day.
Like all great banchan, the tofu acts like a sponge, soaking up even more of the garlic and soy flavors overnight in the fridge.
From Cook Korean in America.