another, better, healthier dubu-jorim?! (Korean spicy braised tofu)

Korean spicy braised tofu (dubu jorim) is one of my favorite quick vegan weeknight tofu recipes! I can easily gobble up an entire batch of this with rice, noodles, or even served over a bed of roasted cauliflower!

I love the spicy braised tofu recipe that I posted a few years ago! However, that 3T dark soy sauce is a lot of sodium, and the teaspoon of chili is not enough to really call it a “spicy” dish.

Maangchi’s version is very, very similar to the recipe I posted in 2020 by JinJoo at kimchimari. The small changes you’ll see here are reflective of the way my own version of this dish has changed over time. While I do like JinJoo’s addition of mirin, I think 3T soy sauce vs. 1T soy sauce changes the sauce dramatically. I also love that Maangchi’s recipe calls for three times as much chili! This one will definitely wake you up.

Try both and see which one you like better! I’ll also include my adaptation, and her original. If you haven’t visited Maangchi, go give her some love while you pan-fry your tofu!

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my version of Maangchi’s spicy braised tofu dubu-jorim 두부조림

1 package of tofu
oil to fry (a few T)

half a small onion or a quarter of a larger onion
1 clove minced garlic
a few handfuls of scallions, chives, or Chinese garlic chives

sauce:
1T light soy sauce
(optional splash of mirin/rice wine)
1/2t. coarse kosher salt, less if fine salt (the original 1t. salt is far too much)
1/2 t. sugar (the original calls for 1t. sugar and that tastes great!)
1T. gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes) (use about half this amount if you’re using the more common and spicier dried chilis like Japones or chile de àrbol)
1/2 c. water

optional toppings: drizzle of sesame oil, sprinkling of sesame seeds, chopped green onions/chives to taste

1. fry chunks or slices of tofu on a medium-high heat until crispy. you can pan-fry, air-fry (convection oven,) whatever you want.
2. remove tofu, and in the same pan (if you pan-fried them) add a bit more oil and your finely chopped onions.
3. when they grow golden, add your garlic, stir-fry 1 minute, and then add the sauce to the pan.
4. simmer until the sauce looks more like sauce than water, then re-add tofu.
5. braise tofu in the sauce for a few minutes. serve with some of the optional toppings, pour over rice or noodles, pack in your lunchbox, or just eat it with a fork straight out of the pan!
   
   recipe barely adapted by friedsig from Maangchi’s spicy braised tofu dubu-jorim 두부조림

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original recipe: Maangchi’s spicy braised tofu dubu-jorim 두부조림

Ingredients

• 1 package of tofu (18 ounces: 510 grams)
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup minced onion
• 2 green onions, chopped

For the sauce, mix in a small bowl:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• ½ cup water

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This isn’t one of those complicated, hours-long Korean recipes like gamjatang (pork neckbone soup) – it’s quick, simple, hearty, vegetarian goodness! Definitely a “rotation” recipe here. Check out the rotation tag for more recipes I make again and again, or more Korean recipes that I have tried! I also have more amazing tofu recipes to share with you, like the four different versions of mapo tofu that I have tried, my favorite cold and spicy summertime snack liangban tofu, and takeout-style crispy vegan kung pao tofu!