Bubbling Sundubu Jjigae with Pork & Clams

⏱ 30 min · Serves 2

Korea's most comforting bowl: silken tofu suspended in a fiery, garlicky chilli broth, spiked with pork belly and sweet clams, then finished with an egg cracked in at the table so it poaches in the bubbling pot. Ready in half an hour and made for cold nights and hot rice.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 42.0g protein · 16.0g carbs · 42.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 100g pork belly, thinly sliced
• 4 spring onions, whites and greens separated, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 500ml anchovy or chicken stock
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 300g fresh clams, purged (or 100g raw prawns)
• 2 tubes (approx. 700g total) silken/soondubu tofu
• 2 eggs
• Steamed short-grain rice, to serve
• Toasted sesame seeds, to finish

Method

1. Heat the oil in a small heavy pot or Korean earthenware ttukbaegi over medium heat. Fry the pork belly for 4–5 minutes until the fat renders and the edges crisp.
2. Add the spring onion whites and garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Turn the heat low, add the gochugaru, gochujang and sesame oil and stir for 30 seconds to bloom the chilli into a red oil — don't let it burn.
4. Pour in the stock, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the clams, cover and cook 3–4 minutes until they open (discard any that stay shut).
6. Spoon the silken tofu into the pot in large curds. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, nudging rather than stirring so it stays in soft clouds. Taste and adjust with more soy or fish sauce.
7. With the stew furiously bubbling, crack in the eggs, scatter over the spring onion greens and sesame seeds, and take it straight to the table. Break the egg into the broth as you eat, with hot rice alongside.