The BCD-Style Haemul Soondubu Jjigae
해물 순두부찌개·(hae-mul soon-du-bu jji-gae)
Friday Night Jjigae: End-of-Week Comfort Stews
Friday night at the end of a punishing week, a black stone ttukbaegi hits the trivet, the red broth hisses over soft curds, the whole setup offering BCD-style comfort in twenty minutes. The American dream of a Korean stew was born in a Los Angeles strip mall. It relies entirely on a swift, precise rendering of animal fat, a heavy hand with beef bouillon, and absolute control over water. Too much liquid drowns out the rendered fat. Crack the raw egg into the center before the rolling boil stops.
Before you start
Extract the tofu's surface moisture.
Cut the package of silken tofu in half and gently set the blocks on paper towels for a few minutes to draw out excess water before they hit the pot.
Clean the seafood.
Scrub the clams thoroughly under cold water and ensure any frozen shrimp or squid are completely thawed.
Ingredients
- extra soft silken tofu1 large
- neutral cooking oil2 tbsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- onion2 tbsp
- scallions2 med
- garlic1 tbsp
- ground fatty pork or beef2 oz
- gochugaru2 tbsp
- water1 1/2 cup
- beef Dashida or beef bouillon1 tsp
- fish sauce or saeujeot1 tsp
- sugar1/4 tsp
- littleneck clams6 med
- mixed raw shrimp and squid1/4 lb
- egg1 large
Method
- 01
Sauté the aromatics and meat.
Heat the neutral and sesame oils in a heavy-bottomed pot or earthenware ttukbaegi over medium heat. Add the onion, scallion whites, garlic, and ground meat, cooking until the fat renders and the meat browns, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- 02
Toast the chili flakes.
Drop the heat to the absolute lowest setting and stir in the gochugaru. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds until the rendered fat turns into a brilliant red chili oil, being very careful not to let the sugars in the chili burn.
- 03
Build the broth.
Immediately pour in the water to halt the toasting process. Stir in the beef Dashida, fish sauce, and sugar, scraping up any caramelized bits from the bottom, and bring the liquid to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- 04
Cook the seafood.
Drop the clams and mixed seafood into the violently bubbling broth. Let it boil aggressively for 2 to 3 minutes until the clam shells snap open and release their briny liquor into the pot.
- 05
Integrate the tofu.
Gently slide the drained tofu blocks into the stew, using a spoon to carefully cleave them into large, rustic chunks. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes so the tofu heats through and releases its internal moisture, perfectly balancing the aggressively seasoned broth.
- 06
Finish with the egg and garnish.
Remove the pot from the heat. Crack the raw egg directly into the center of the residual bubbling stew, scatter the reserved scallion greens over the top, and serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Notes
Mind the moisture equation.
Silken tofu is essentially a water balloon. Adding more than a cup and a half of water to the initial broth will critically dilute the final stew, resulting in a bland and watery dish.
Embrace the bouillon.
Do not skip the beef Dashida or substitute it out of a misplaced sense of health consciousness. It is the authentic, unpretentious backbone of the diaspora restaurant flavor, providing instant depth without an all-day simmer.
Batch your dadaegi for next week.
You can double or triple the initial aromatic, meat, and gochugaru toasting step, storing the excess chili paste in a jar in the fridge. With that ready, you can make this stew in ten minutes flat.
From Cook Korean in America.