Hot Tofu Soup with Oysters, Soondubu Jigae 

뚝배기 순두부 찌개 + 생굴

Yields: SERVES 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup kimchi, cut into thin strips 
• 1 1/2 cup water 
• 1 package of silken tofu
• 5 or 6 small oysters
• 1 egg
• 2-3 cherry tomatoes 
• 1/2 tablespoon scallion, chopped
• Salt and pepper, if needed

Marinade for Pork

• 4 ounces of pork belly, cut into thin strips
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon rice cooking wine

Spicy Pepper Oil

• 1 tablespoon red chile pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Instructions

To marinate the pork, in a small bowl mix together sliced pork, fish sauce, minced garlic, and rice cooking wine. Set aside. 

To make spicy pepper oil, rub inside of a medium Korean clay pot with sesame oil and heat it over medium heat. When sesame oil starts to bubble, add the red chile pepper flakes and quickly stir once while turning off the heat (be careful since red chile pepper flakes can char quickly).

Add the marinated pork and kimchi to the clay pot with the spicy pepper oil. Turn the heat back to medium heat and stir until pork is lightly cooked. Add the water and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the soup starts bubbling, then add all the silken tofu, breaking up with a spoon. Then add the oysters, egg, cherry tomatoes, and scallions. Turn the heat up to high and cook until the soup starts bubbling again. Cook another 2 minutes, and then turn off the heat. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Enjoy the soup as hot as possible as is with Korean tradition! 

Preparation time: 10 minutes  

Cook time: 25 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes