When I moved to China in 1996, I was not very good at travel arrangements. I booked my flight to Shanghai with the nine-hour layover in Seoul, South Korea. Those hours in the airport faded away when I met my first jjigae! Then, my second. Okay, there was a third in there, too. Nine hours, people! This dish is almost literally burned into my memory. My introduction to Korean cuisine was a spicy one indeed, and pretty darned representative.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Korean chile powder or dried red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 slices bacon, diced (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
- 2 cups prepared kimchi, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cups prepared dashi or vegetable broth
- 2 lb silken tofu
- 4 eggs
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small mixing bowl, combine chile powder or red pepper flakes with sesame oil and soy sauce, and set aside.
- Place a skillet over medium heat. Add vegetable oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add bacon (if using) and sauté until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, the white parts of the scallions, jalapeño, and kimchi, and continue to sauté for 4 minutes. Add salt, sugar, dashi or broth, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat.
- Crumble silken tofu into the skillet and stir to evenly distribute. Be sure to keep some larger pieces of tofu intact. Carefully transfer the skillet into the oven and braise for 35-40 minutes, or until the tofu begins to absorb red liquid. Remove the baking dish from the oven.
- Sprinkle the chile soy mixture across the top of the jjigae. Crack the eggs neatly and evenly across the top. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until egg whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Top with scallion greens and serve immediately with white rice and a smile.
