Soondubu Jjigae (순두부 찌개)

Soondubu Jjigae (순두부 찌개) is a good match with soju on a cold breezy night. The spicy soup incorporated with clam broth and the silken tofu is the perfect food to go with a drink. It's sad though that Im allergic to certain kinds of shellfish, and can't enjoy this version. You can also use beef for this recipe.

Soft Tofu Stew
Soondubu Jjigae (순두부 찌개)

Ingredients:
10 clams
3 pcs dried sea kelp
1/2 cup kimchi
1/2 cup zucchini
1 pack enoki mushroom
1/2 smalll onion
1 tsp garlic
1 tbs hot pepper powder
2 tbs oil
1 soondubu
1 tbs soy sauce
salt & pepper
1 egg

Method:

1. Wash clams in cold water. Boil in 3 cups of water and 3 pcs of kelp.
2. Chop up the onions and crush the garlic.
3. Slice the zucchini.
4. Remove the bottom part of the mushroom.
5. Take the kelp out after boiling for 5 min. Cook the clams for another 5 min. Set aside.
6. Preheat an earthen cooking bowl on the stove at medium.
7. Put 2 tbs oil in a frypan. Add the red pepper powder and saute for 10 sec. Add the kimchi and onion. Saute for 2-3 min.
8. Transfer the kimchi mixture to the earthen bowl. Add the clam broth and reserve the clam shells for later. Add the zucchini and 1 tbs soysauce and cook on high.
9. Cut the tofu in the middle with a knife. Once it boils spoon the tofu little by little and add to the bowl. Add the mushroom. Turn down to medium as soon as it boils. Cook for 5 min.
10. Put in the clams and green onions cook for another 5 min.
11. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper.
12. Crack an egg on top and turn off the heat.

Eat with rice and enjoy a drink! ^^

Honghap Tang (홍합탕)

Green Mussel soup or Honghap Tang is extremely easy to prepare. Because the dish is simple on its own, you can taste the refreshing flavor of the sea as you take a sip of its piping hot soup. Remember to buy only fresh and alive green mussels.

Green Mussel Soup
Honghap Tang (홍합탕)

Ingredients:

• 500g green mussels
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 cup green onions
• 1 tbs ginger
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 small tomato
• 1 tbs salt

Method:

1. Clean the green mussels with cold water. Scrub the shells clean and pull out or cut the beard.
2. Put in the pot and add water until its 2 inches above the green mussels. Cook on high.
3. Peel the onions and chop it up. Peel ginger and cut it into thin matchsticks. Peel and crush garlic. Slice the tomato into wedges.
4. Toss all of them in the pot. Boil it for 10 min.
5. Add the green onions and cook for another 3 min.

Tip: Consume your green mussels within 24 hours of purchase. Heat only twice. Freezing and thawing multiple times loses the integrity of your shellfish. Buy only fresh and alive shellfish.

Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is a popular beef noodle soup similar to hotpot. It's distinct for its mild sweetness. It is also healthy because it mainly consists of vegetables and tofu, which is a Japanese staple. The beef is lean and soft as well.


Sukiyaki

Ingredients:

• 200g ribeye sukiyaki cut
• 1/2 block tofu
• 1 enokitake (and/or 4 shiitake)
• 1 small onion
• 1 cup chopped chinese cabbage
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• vermicelli noodles

Broth

• 3-4 cups water
• 2 pcs dried kelp

Sauce

• 50 ml soy sauce
• 50 ml hon mirin
• 100 ml sake
• 2 tbs sugar

Method:

1. Boil 3-4 cups of water with 2pcs of  dried kelp for 10 min. Set aside
2. Combine soysauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Simmer for 5 min until the alcohol evaporates.
3. Lay the vegetables and meat in the pan. Add the Sauce and dilute it with broth.
4. Put the lid on and simmer until the vegetables are almost cooked. Transfer to a portable stove top.
5. Add the noodles and wait till its cooked.
6. Beat 1 egg for dipping sauce.

Bu-dae Chi-gae (부대찌개)

DID U KNOW that Bu-dae Chi-gae literally means army stew? During the Korean war, Koreans would salvage leftover food from the American soldiers who had an abundance of hot dogs, sausages, and spam along with other staples. They mixed it with their kimchi and make a delicious stew.

Army-base Stew
Bu-dae Chi-gae (부대찌개)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 can Spam
• 1 Frankfurter or Schublig
• vienna sausage
• enoki mushroom
• chinese cabbage
• firm tofu
• ramyeon (noodles)
• oval rice cake
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 cup kimchi with sauce

Soup Base

• 6 Cups Water
• 6 Pieces Dried Anchovies
• 3-4 Pieces Kelp

Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Red Pepper Powder
• 2 Tbsp Red Pepper Paste
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Cooking Wine (or Water)
• ⅛ tsp Black Pepper

Method:

1. Boil the anchovies and kelp in water.
2. While the soup is boiling, combine the ingredients for the sauce.
3. Take out the kelp after 5 min and then the anchovies after another 5 min.
4. Slice the spam 1/2 cm thick and again half wide. Do the same for the tofu. Cut up the sausage diagonally about the same thickness.
5. Slice the veggies. Cut the bottom part of the enoki. Chop up the green onions.
6. Set aside the soup base after 10 min.

7. Lay out the vegetables and sausage in the pan. put the sauce on top and pour the soup base.
8. Gently stir as the mixture starts to boil. Drain the rice cake and put in the pan.
9. Break the ramyeon noodle in half and put it in the pan. Wait until  the noodles are cooked. Serve with rice.

This makes a sumptuous meal!