Warm and Hearty Fish Cake and Tofu Stew (Eomuk Dubu Jjigae)
Warm and Hearty Fish Cake and Tofu Stew (Eomuk Dubu Jjigae)
Quick and Easy Fish Cake and Tofu Stew Made with Ingredients on Hand
Korean stews, or ‘jjigae’, are known for their rich flavor derived from a variety of ingredients simmered together. On chilly days, a steaming bowl of jjigae, brimming with delicious broth and generous chunks of ingredients, is all you need to make a satisfying meal without requiring many side dishes. Today, we’re sharing a simple yet delightful fish cake and tofu stew that you can whip up with ingredients readily available in your refrigerator. Enjoy a warm, home-cooked meal with this savory and deeply flavorful stew!
Stew Ingredients- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 stalk green onion (white and green parts separated)
- 300g firm tofu (1 block)
- 3 sheets of fish cake (eomuk)
- 1 bag enoki mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1/2 Tbsp salted shrimp (saeujeot)
- 1 Tbsp anchovy sauce for soup (myeolchi aekjeot)
- 3 cups anchovy-kelp broth
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Heat a pot or wok over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil and 1 Tbsp of sesame oil. Add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic and the white parts of 1 green onion, thinly sliced on an angle. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Sautéing the garlic and green onion first will add a deeper flavor to the stew.
Step 2
Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 Tbsp of gochugaru and stir quickly for about 10-20 seconds, being careful not to burn it. Briefly toasting the chili flakes in oil enhances their color and spicy flavor.
Step 3
Cut 1 block (300g) of firm tofu into bite-sized cubes, about 1.5cm thick. Add the cubed tofu and 1/2 Tbsp of salted shrimp to the pot. Pour in 3 cups (approx. 600ml) of anchovy-kelp broth. If you don’t have broth, you can use rice water or plain water.
Step 4
Now, turn the heat up to high and bring the stew to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Trim the root end of the enoki mushrooms and separate them into smaller clusters. Cut the fish cakes into bite-sized pieces, similar to the tofu. Add the enoki mushrooms and fish cake to the pot and let them simmer together.
Step 5
Time to season the stew. Taste it, and if it needs more saltiness, add 1 Tbsp of anchovy sauce for soup. Anchovy sauce adds umami and depth to the stew. (In the Gyeongsang Province of Korea, fermented anchovy sauce made by boiling anchovies is often used in broths, serving a similar purpose.)
Step 6
Finally, thinly slice the green parts of the remaining green onion on an angle and scatter them over the stew as a garnish. Let it simmer for another moment until the onion’s fragrance infuses into the stew, then turn off the heat. Enjoy this warm and hearty meal with a bowl of rice!
