Vegan Kimchi Soondubu
4
- Prep Time10 mins
- Total Time30 mins
- Makes4 servings
Produced by Chantal Braganza and Stephanie Han Kim; photography by Christie Vuong; food styling by Haley Polinsky; prop styling by Cailen Speers. Dusen Dusen Pattern Napkin – Flip, 313designmarket.com.
Dishes that taste better the next day were practically made for lunch prepping, and this silky, spicy stew—a vegan riff on soondubu jjigae—fits the bill and reheats beautifully. Many traditional versions of this dish include an anchovy broth or pork belly; using earthy dried shiitake mushrooms and dasima (dried-kelp sheets) for the base broth instead makes it just as delicious.—Chantal Braganza
4 cups vegetable broth
1 sheet dasima (optional)
1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cups extra-fermented vegan kimchi, chopped (see tip)
4 garlic cloves, grated into a paste
1 bunch green onions, sliced, white parts separated from green
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 to 3 tbsp gochujang paste
2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
2 250-g pkgs silken tofu
1/2 cup shredded enoki mushrooms
Instructions
Combine broth with dasima, if using, and dried shiitakes in a large saucepan set over high. Cook, stirring, until mixture is steaming but not simmering, 1 to 2 min. Pour into a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
Return same saucepan to stovetop over medium-high. Add oils, then kimchi, garlic, onion whites and soy. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and kimchi releases its juices, 2 to 3 min. Stir in gochujang and gochugaru. Cook for 2 to 3 min. Set aside.
Strain mushrooms and dasima from reserved broth. Discard dasima sheet; slice mushrooms and set aside. Add tofu and reserved broth to kimchi mixture. Stir to break up tofu. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then add sliced shiitake and shredded enoki mushrooms.
Ladle into bowls and top with green onions. Serve with rice, if desired.
Kitchen tip
To keep this vegan, look for kimchi that doesn’t use salt shrimp paste. Jongga, Wildbrine, Rooster and President’s Choice all make great ones.
Kitchen tip
Gochugaru is a chili powder with a subtle, smoky heat and is an essential pantry ingredient in Korean cooking. It can be found in Asian and specialty grocery stores; substitute with Aleppo pepper or smoked paprika if unavailable.
Kitchen tip
Silken tofu, or soondubu in Korean, is a soft variety of tofu that is essential to the comforting texture of this dish.
Kitchen tip
This soup will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.