Which Korean stew features soft tofu, kimchi, and often pork or seafood?

Which Korean stew features soft tofu, kimchi, and often pork or seafood? Sundubu jjigae is the answer. This bubbling Korean stew centers on sundubu, freshly curdled tofu that has not been pressed, giving it a delicate, custard-like texture.

The broth is commonly seasoned with gochugaru or gochujang, garlic, onion, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Kimchi, pork, beef, oysters, clams, mussels, or shrimp may be added, so restaurant menus often offer several versions. A raw egg is frequently cracked into the hot stew just before serving, where it cooks in the residual heat.

Sundubu jjigae is usually prepared and served in a small earthenware or stone bowl. The vessel keeps the stew bubbling at the table, and the dish is commonly eaten with white rice and banchan. The word sundubu means extra-soft tofu, while jjigae refers to a substantial Korean stew.

It is easy to confuse this dish with kimchi jjigae, which is defined primarily by kimchi and often contains firmer tofu. Doenjang jjigae instead gets its characteristic flavor from fermented soybean paste.