Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)

Ingredients

• 12 1/4 ozsilken tofu, the soft tube kind
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 2 tbspgochugaru, Korean chilli flakes
• 1/2onion, thinly sliced
• 3 clovegarlic, minced
• 3 1/2 ozshiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 3 1/2 ozvegan kimchi, chopped — use vegan kimchi; most commercial kimchi is fermented with salted shrimp or fish sauce
• 1 2/3 cupsvegetable stock
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 2eggs, cracked in at the end
• 2spring onions, sliced
• 1 tspsesame oil

Method

1. 1

   Heat the vegetable oil in a small heavy pot over medium heat. Add the gochugaru and stir for 30 to 45 seconds until the oil turns deep red and smells toasty. Watch it closely — chilli flakes scorch in seconds.

2. 2

   Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes until the onion turns translucent and the mushrooms release their liquid.

3. 3

   Stir in the kimchi and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the stock and the soy sauce. Bring to a hard boil and let it bubble for 5 minutes to draw everything together.

4. 4

   Open the tofu and slide it into the pot in large spoonfuls, breaking it only roughly. Simmer for 5 minutes without stirring, so the curds stay in soft pieces rather than dissolving into the broth.

5. 5

   Crack the eggs into the middle of the bubbling stew and leave them for a minute to set at the edges. Take the pot off the heat, drizzle over the sesame oil and scatter with the spring onions. Serve immediately, still boiling, with rice.