Soondubu Jjigae (soft tofu stew) 순두부 찌개

Soondubu Jjigae (soft tofu stew) 순두부 찌개

Recipe source : Adapted from Maangchi

This hot soupy Korean stew is something different. Be careful though and handle with care because it is bubbling hot. 

My family had this stew together with hot steaming rice and it so happened to be raining heavily when we were having this for dinner. I suppose it enhanced the ambiance to have this steaming hot and spicy stew on a cold rainy day!

Ingredients

12 dried anchovies, remove the guts
10g kelp
1/2 big onion
5 cloves garlic
3 dried mushrooms
100g minced pork
1 cup mixed seafood
1 stalk spring onion, cut into sections of 4 cm
2 red chillies, sliced
2 tbsp hot pepper flakes
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cubes of soft tofu
2 tsp fish sauce
5 cups water 
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 eggs , optional

Top : dried anchovies

Centre : dried mushrooms

Bottom : kelp

 Mixed seafood

 Minced pork

Prepare the stock

1.  Pour 5 cups of water into a pot and add the anchovies, half a piece of big onion, dried kelp, dried mushrooms and garlic.
2.  Boil over high heat for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes.
3.  Strain the stock and set aside.
4.  Remove the mushrooms and cut into small pieces.

Instructions

1.  Heat an earthen ware pot and add cooking oil.
2.  Stir-fry the minced pork and mushrooms.
3.  Add pepper flakes, keep stirring and add 2 cups of stock.
4.  Add in the seafood and tofu. Break up the tofu into smaller pieces and allow to boil for a while.
5.  Add fish sauce and salt and adjust taste to your preference.
6.  Add in the spring onions and red chillies. 

I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #37 - Korean : The Feast of Hansik (November 2013)

hosted by Grace of Life Can Be Simple 

Green Bean & Kelp Soup 绿豆海带甜汤

Green Bean & Kelp Soup 绿豆海带甜汤

 
 Recipe source : Adapted from Nourishing Sweet Indulgence

I was surprised to come across this recipe in a cookbook that I was thumbing through at the MPH Bookstore.  It brought back memories of the  outbreak of SARS in Southern China, Hong Kong and some South East Asian countries, including Malaysia a few years back.  I remember many overseas trips were cancelled as people feared to travel to those countries where the SARS outbreaks were reported to be serious. I still remember my colleague and his wife were quarantined for a week upon their return from China. During that time the mass media was raved with tips and suggestions on how to keep ourselves healthy and protected against the virus.  One of the many advice was to keep our bodies cool. Green bean soup was among one of the many suggested herbal brews or concoctions to stay cool. 

Actually, I learnt to make this soup from my regular Chinese herbal and provisions store owner located near my house.  He taught his customers to make this soup and the ingredients to be included together with the green beans. But of course, he did not provide the precise weights and measurements. The proprietor left it to us to estimate how much of each ingredients to use. It turned out to be a great dessert!. 

There is no outbreak of SARS now but nevertheless, the weather is very hot and this soupy dessert was most welcome by my family. 

Ingredients

100g green beans
1 piece of ginger, (thumb-size) smash the ginger with the flat side of a cleaver
2 small pieces of tangerine peels
10g dried kelp, rinse and soak in water until soft and cut into thin strips
90g cane rock sugar, or to taste
1.5 litres water

 Dried kelp

 

 Left : tangerine peels. Right : ginger 

 Kelp which has been soaked and cut into thin strips

 

Green beans

 

 Instructions

1.  Place green beans, kelp, ginger, tangerine peels and water into a medium-sized pot and bring to the boil.
2.  Turn to medium heat and simmer for about one hour or until the beans turn mushy.
3.  Add in the cane rock sugar and continue to boil for another 15 minutes or until the cane rock sugar dissolves.

 I am linking this post to Alvin of Chef and Sommelier

The ingredient  for July 2013 is ginger

This event is linked to Little Thumbs Up

The event is organized by Zoe, of Bake For happy Kids and Doreen, of My Little Favourite DIY    

I am also linking this post to Cook-Your-Books # 2 organised by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours