You might be familiar with Korean sundubu (or soondooboo) jjigae, a fiery stew featuring soft tofu in a gochugaru-infused broth. It’s filled with vegetables, often seafood and meat, and gets topped with a cracked egg. Despite the heat (both temperature and spice), sundubu jjigae has an ability to refresh, speaking to Koreans’ affinity for enjoying a gurgling stew on even the hottest of summer days.
A mild version of this classic also exists in Korean cuisine, typically enjoyed by kids or those who can’t tolerate spice. This one is part of our Feel-Good Food Plan. Its seafood-based broth is even more apparent without any spice to hide behind. Here, a square of kombu gives the water a head start, imbuing the light stock with umami and an accent of the sea. Clams lend their brininess (just make sure to clean them first), while zucchini and onion bring sweetness, and enoki or beech mushrooms offer their signature chew.
I urge you to find the softest tofu you can. Silken tofu in the standard water-filled container works fine, but if you can stop by a Korean market, buy a cylindrical tube of silken tofu for its extra-custardy texture. This stew may be quieter and gentler than its spicy counterpart, but it is no less comforting and refreshing.
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What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1
1
1
2
1
5
1
1
2
1
1
2
½
Preparation
Step 1
Partially fill a large bowl with cool water, add a handful of kosher salt, and swish with your hand to dissolve. Add 1 lb. small clams, preferably littleneck (10–12), scrubbed; let sit 15 minutes to expel any grit. Carefully drain and rinse. If clams expelled a lot of grit into the bowl, repeat with a fresh bowl of cool water and salt. Set aside.
Step 2
Bring one 5x3" piece dried kombu and 6 cups water to a boil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat and cook until water starts to turn pale yellow and smells sealike, about 5 minutes. Add 2 large or 4 small zucchini (14–16 oz.), halved, thinly sliced into half-moons, 1 small onion, cut in half through root end, thinly sliced, and 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and zucchini are nearly cooked through, 6–8 minutes.
Step 3
Using a large spoon, scoop large dollops of one 11-oz. tube or 14-oz. package silken tofu into broth, then add one 3.5-oz. package enoki mushrooms or 5–6 oz. beech mushrooms, stems trimmed, and reserved clams and press everything down gently to submerge in liquid. Cover pan and cook until clams open, about 5 minutes, depending on size of clams. (If any clams do not open, cover, and continue to cook, checking every minute or so, until open; discard any that do not open after 5 minutes more.) Try to avoid stirring so tofu doesn’t break up.
Step 4
Reduce heat to low and skim any foam from surface. Add 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton salt; taste and season with more salt if needed. Remove pot from heat and slowly drizzle 1 large egg, beaten to blend, all over the stew’s surface. Scatter 2 scallions, chopped, over, then drizzle in ½ tsp. toasted sesame oil.
Step 5
Cover stew and serve, keeping covered until you are ready to ladle into bowls, with steamed rice alongside.