Sundubu Jjigae

A fiery silken tofu stew with seafood or pork, cracked egg and gochugaru — served bubbling in a stone pot.

Sundubu jjigae — soft tofu stew — is one of Korea's most beloved comfort foods, eaten at all times of day including breakfast. The dish uses sundubu, an extra-soft silken tofu that is sold in tubes in Korea and squeezed directly into the pot. The stew is always served in a pre-heated stone pot (dolsot) that keeps it bubbling at the table — eating sundubu jjigae that is not actively boiling when it arrives is a failure of service. The raw egg cracked in at the end cooks in the heat of the stew — the yolk should still be slightly runny when eaten. The dish is considered particularly good for hangovers and is one of the most popular late-night foods in Seoul's restaurant districts.

Use sundubu (extra soft silken tofu) — not firm tofu. The stew must be served bubbling. Crack the egg in at the very end and let it cook in the residual heat. Eat with steamed rice.