Hey everyone! I'm sooooooo~ sorry! I've been 1) lazy, 2) lost internet around at home, 3) micro SD reader died, and 4) just got a new one and is bumming internet connection at my uncle's house. Loving my new USB reader... cuz 1) its pink, and 2) IT ACTUALLY WORKS!... Not bad for $2 from Ichiban Kan. XD
Anyways... ON TO THE FOOD!!!!! (o > Д<)⊃
So as I had promised, Soon Doobu (Spicy Tofu Stew/Soup)! Story? Ummm... Okay~? *Thinks*... My mom and I are the only ones who eat it when we get a stone pot of it at Korean BBQ places. The only time we eat spicy tofu soup is when we go to K-BBQ... and it was only a treat. And how often do we eat K-BBQ? Once or twice a year for special occasions, and sometimes never! So! I was like "Mom! I'm going to learn how to make Korean tofu soup... you know, the spicy one from the BBQ places." My mom was so happy... then again, she's happy whenever I say I'm going to make food.
I make this often when I first learned it... now... not so much. I don't want to get bored of it, ya know? I love spicy tofu stew/soup. I know its summer right now, and who in their right mind would be eating hot soup now? Well, Winter is only around the corner, and being that it is San Francisco... anytime is a good time for a bowl of hot/warm soup. But definitely great for Winter... especially a rainy Winter. A big hot bowl of spicy red broth, little bits of broken up tofu, chunks of veggies, a nibble of meat and seafood.... oh yum~! I learned the recipe from Maangchi, but altered the veggies to match the ones I eat from the BBQ places. Little more steps, a little longer to make, but it is well worth it if you love this soup/stew as much as my family and I do. Bit of caution though... do a little research before making. According to Maangchi (and I highly suggest reading her blog on hot pepper flakes), there is 2 types of hot pepper flakes: Maewoon Gochu Gaaroo (very hot) and Deol Maewoon Gochu Gaaroo (less spicy). Personally, I used the brand Wang in Maewoon. And according to Maangchi, there is a ranking of spiciness in tablespoon-form (keep this in mind for later)... it goes like this:
Pepper Flake Table of Spiciness
2 tbsp = mild
3 tbsp = medium
4 tbsp = hot
5 tbsp = SUICIDE! Σ(;>Д<;;)o
Personally, I go beyond 5 tbsp, about 7 tbsp... and it isn't so suicidal at all. Then again, my family likes spicy food. So experiment how hot your tongue can take, just don't start off with 5 tbsp right off the bat when making this. ALSO, I don't use the screaming hot stone pot what this dish is normally cooked in. I just use regular everyday pots. But use a pretty big pot for Pot #2: Everything Else. My recipe has lots of stuff in it and can overflow easily. But just be careful. (^-^)
Really wish I made the shot look better, but this was the best I could get while holding my family (whom were getting snappy) back from devouring it as soon as the pot got to the table.
Ingredients:
stock:
12 dried anchovies, "gutted" (check Maangchi for how anchovies look like and to "gut" is to remove the belly and dark nub in the cavity)
1/3 cup dried kelp (soak off excess salt in warm water)
1/2 onion
5 cloves garlic
3 caps large dried shitake or 6-7 caps small dried shitake (partially rehydrated)
everything else:
2-3 large zucchinis, washed, peeled (optional), and cubed
1 stalk large leek, washed (to get out the sand) and chopped
1/2-1 medium onion, diced (optional, but I added it for more stuff to eat)
1-2 jars medium oysters (optional, or you can use other types of seafood)
1/4 pounds (or less) beef, cut into bite size strips or pieces (I use flank steak, cut on a bias)
2-4 tubes tofu (Unfamiliar with tofu in a tube? Click the link from My Korean Kitchen for image, or substitute with regular silken tofu)
2-5 tbsp Korean hot pepper flakes (I used the brand Wang: Maewoon Gochu Gaaroo)
2 tbsp fish sauce
salt (to taste/optional)
egg (optional to crack into your soup)
How-To:
Pot #1: stock
- In a cheese cloth bag, add gutted anchovies and kelp.
- In a medium pot filled with water (about 5-6 cups worth), add cheese cloth bag, onion, garlic, and dried shitakes.
- Boil on high heat for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes. (Tip: half-cover pot with lid to prevent boiling over)
- After 20 minutes, fish out shitake to let cool for handling and chop into pieces, and set aside pot of stock.
Pot #2: everything else
- In a large pot (and I mean LARGE), add a touch of oil (or sesame oil for a punch of flavor), and cook beef.
- Add shitake, leek, zucchini, and onion. Stir ingredients to brown a little.
- Add hot pepper flakes. Stir to coat everything... it should look like a bit mass of red blobs.
- Ladle in 2-3 scoops of stock. CAUTION FOR SIZZLING! Once sizzling dies down, ladle in the rest of the stock into the pot or as much that the pot can take (REMEMBER TO LEAVE ROOM FOR MORE INGREDIENTS AND TOFU!). Stir so everything is bathing in the brothy goodness.
- Add the oysters or seafood.
- Add fish sauce.
- Give a little stir. (Be gentle if using oysters, don't want to break them.)
- Add tubes of tofu into pot. Gently break tofu with ladle or spatula (whatever you're using to stir the pot). It okay if some tofu pieces are bigger and some smaller.
- Let boil a bit, so the flavors can marry and be yummy.
- Give it a taste, and add a touch of salt if needed.
- Serve in a bowl with raw egg, or eat as it plain!
Whoo~ that's a lot right? But its so good. If you want more heat in your food and the hot pepper flakes just isn't cutting it, add a few slices of fresh jalapẽnos before or after adding tofu. I hope you all will try this recipe! Please enjoy! o(^-^)o
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