Soup to Warm You to the Bone: Soon Dubu

A few weeks ago, my neighbor, Mr. Z, made the most delicious Korean soup, which he called soon dubu. It had tofu, shrimp and egg, and the main flavoring ingredient was Korean hot pepper paste (aka gochu jang). In addition to being one of the tastiest soups that has ever passed my lips, it is easy to make. Mr. Z shared the recipe with me and I’m passing it on to you.



Notes before you start:
1) If you didn’t notice, this soup is going to be spicy. To cut down on the spiciness, omit the crushed red pepper and add only 1 tbs gochu jang.
2) Instead of chicken broth, Mr. Z suggests anchovy broth. I suspect it’s a homemade thing, as I’ve never seen this for sale. Instead I used chicken broth and boiled the shells of the shrimp in the broth for about 15 minutes. In addition, I added 1 tbs of dried shrimp to the soup. This is completely optional.
3) I used 3 eggs, but separated two of them so I could poach two yolks whole because I love soft poached eggs.

This stuff is spicy and salty and gives food a wonderful flavor. Try it in this beef stew or as a marinade for grilled beef.

Soon Dubu

• 2 tsp dark sesame oil
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped zucchini
• 1 bunch green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces, whites and greens separated
• 6 shitake mushrooms, sliced (or two large handfuls of dried shitakes)
• ½ onion (preferably sweet, like Vidalia), sliced into thin wedges
• 1 to 2 tbs gochu jang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 to 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 package silken tofu
• 2 to 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• salt, to taste

In a pot over medium heat, add the sesame oil and about another tablespoon of vegetable oil. When hot, add the mushrooms, garlic, red and black peppers, and whites of the green onions. Saute for a minute . Add the onion wedges, zucchini, chicken broth and gochu jang. Allow to come to a slow boil and stir to dissolve the paste. Add the tofu and stir to break it up roughly. Check the seasonings. Add more pepper paste if you’d like it spicer and salt if necessary. Simmer the soup for a few minutes (5 or 10), then add the beaten egg. After a couple of minutes, add the shrimp. Resist the urge to stir! Just allow the shrimp to quietly poach in the soup until they are pink and cooked through. Add the greens of the green onions. Turn off the heat and allow the soup to rest, covered, for about 10 minutes before serving. I like my soup with a little bowl of rice.