Wednesday, July 11, 2007

김치찌개 & 두부전 (Kimchi Stew & Fried Egg-Tofu)

I lived in Korea for a year and was daily exposed to their amazing selection of soups and stews. They are a big soup culture: they feel every meal should have soup and rice. Kimchi, spicy fermented cabbage, is the staple of their diet and so it stands to reason that kimchi stew would be a popular and delicious dish. Fortunately, my Korean girlfriend was able to cook this one for me. This is served with a simple fried egg-tofu dish and, of course, rice.
Prepare:
-Dice some pork; marinate with some ginger, garlic, salt, and soy sauce-Cut up some kimchi into small pieces. The best kimchi to use is older, more sour kimchi, as it gives flavor to the soup.
-Dice carrot, zucchini, pepper (hot and normal), green onion, onion, and crush garlic-Cut tofu into bite-size chunks (make sure you use firm tofu)
Cook:
-In a pot, heat some olive oil and lightly fry garlic and pork until pork is brown, then throw in kimchi and pepper-After a couple minutes, add 3 cups of water and the rest of the vegetables
-Let simmer for a while, tasting and adding kimchi juice, pepper powder, salt, and pepper to taste-When it's ready, put in the tofu.

Prepare Fried egg-tofu:
-Cut tofu into thin slices
-Beat an egg well, mixing in saltCook:
-Heat a pan to medium heat with olive oil
-Dip tofu in batter, then place onto pan-Turn after 2 or 3 minutes
-Serve plain or with sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, and green onion

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