Sundubu jjigae

Sundubu jjigae (순두부찌개) is a jjigae (Korean stew) in Korean cuisine. The dish is made with uncurdled dubu (tofu), vegetables, sometimes mushrooms, onion, optional seafood (commonly oysters, mussels, clams and shrimp), optional meat (commonly beef or pork), and gochujang (chili paste) or gochu garu (chili powder). The dish is assembled and cooked directly in the serving vessel, which is traditionally made of thick, robust porcelain, but can also be ground out of solid stone. A raw egg is put in the jjigae just before serving (also optional), and the dish is delivered while still bubbling vigorously. This dish is typically eaten with a bowl of cooked white rice and several banchan (side dishes).

History

The origins of using uncurdled tofu in Korean cuisine is not well documented, but records from the Joseon dynasty archives show an early form of sundubu jjigae being served. Some historians assume that uncurdled tofu use also spread to the masses during the Joseon dynasty.

In the 1990s, Korean immigrants in Los Angeles brought sundubu jjigae to the United States. Hee Sook Lee, a first-generation Korean immigrant, opened the first sundubu restaurant in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles.