![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzfdJojfYpAiETkCdGlN8GkXMAfIJQGo1QhiCxzwAXdiKYkcLbSHYjSdt-KgNfterE4qBeTuSuMhgEWliieQTeEc13YS54Xw2JTFhIJ4I99jfRsD6Q1AjjPJ2AvVAsbjwwZ_H/s400/eat+soon+dubu+8-19-08.JPG)
I had car trouble today, and my year-old grey VW Rabbit (his name is Peter) had to get towed to the dealership today. Some waiting ensued. The car miraculously fixed itself, I was charged ridiculous amounts for an oil and filter change, but I did get something out of all that: some better soon dubu (a Korean tofu stew). I've tried making soon dubu
before, following a recipe I found online (I can't remember where), but although it satisfied my craving of the moment, the flavour just wasn't as complex and intense as I've had at Korean restaurants.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aA6misXhvYaxj9i_MFVL2d2nE3esbFCDblwOBVtAoNJBgcJAiAQd2c8hMFZebqTpC5ZwYcqrqZluiMHgwYiZHrWDtFYwGt3WNayXUl5D6O_vRwZ5yZr6-xVAZ8FhvgfM08eb/s400/chili+soybean+paste+and+salted+shrimp.JPG)
There is a Korean grocery store near the VW dealership, and I picked up some pantry items for the Korean kitchen: some chili soy bean paste, and salted shrimp. The recipe I had only called for the salted shrimp, but I figured some chili soy bean paste - to bump up the spiciness, and the flavour since I wasn't using beef or pork - wouldn't hurt.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYpQ_07vEYIjVKocwhX4oH0v-BOFJjplNhC3nluqBQRZiYVukiW99n-CM7Gv0sD3G6_HhJ_SKHTuxmebiHszCjpKCZJvWD0TbghWUF72SzJc30v12ywgs2B5RSLUD0Egg9ybv/s400/extra+soft+tofu.JPG)
Soon dubu is all about the tofu. I can never get enough of the extra soft, extra silken tofu you find in little tubes. I got these at the Korean grocery, too.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcyNK8FmvELo3ykMkrvvp2QyaY9idqtuHhYXMJgZVMnC6CQsXaBln7jTMeo-wVMrYP4e2SDh6c-I-5V8h9HhXtoSEE0bus4w8kmjxRT7cbVNsicrsFL09xUE4pnBeuDBajhFN/s400/squash+8-19-08.JPG)
That zucchini/squash is from the CSA, but I think it is (or is very similar to) the type of squash I saw at the Korean grocery, and that I've eaten in Korean restaurants. It has a slightly softer texture and more delicate flavour than the darker green zucchini you can normally get.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV_aoseEaiEc06Gd4yaufGWSSFz5U0vh7JBPaGqk3lfIZJHOsGUdK_jpBIVbEAxqWOKxCT4_UZlTE32vy1Y3YjmHzhuKy_QyJ39pOGL0lk5TVr0XqjvRZKc_hcgtswtRmtNlN/s400/marinate+seafood+8-19-08.JPG)
I departed seriously from the recipe. What follows is what I did, and not necessarily what you should do for an "authentic" recipe. Instead of beef or pork, I had a seafood mix, which I marinated with ginger juice (I grated, then squeezed, a large piece of ginger), minced garlic, sesame oil, white pepper and soy sauce.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_G79Uj_bwvQh_eyz6aIPUot3zScPZ_vDwTU9IX9_NSAarlJ8GczmoU0g9THS1Qdt9zLxkELYdEx6HVn61D_2lhS3vUhl7ZZ_O30JPmEX03hENabkYq8uJNp1KEamCqbjD9c0/s400/soon+dubu+ingredients+8-19-08.JPG)
In addition to scallions, I added the squash, onions and daikon.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYBDka9Fml0wjO4vsH8fbyRO55X0DCQ9t3QIY36GMjbeJ_f44rinHews6xi5UcmrKLbIl-UwXpq9wcJ7rkiMKup4gSx1oZKxairpLoDW5T8MpOgdfcWpjIKEh9CFtrWhWTUQ0W/s400/start+soon+dubu+8-19-08.JPG)
I started out sauteing the onion and squash (I would have added the daikon at this point, but I forgot I had daikon until later in the cooking process), and adding chili powder, salt and a little bit of soy sauce. Then, I added water (you could also use beef broth) and kimchi (I added my daikon in at this point, too) and brought it to a boil. I used some of the cooking liquid to thin out a bit of the chili soybean paste, and added that back to the pot. The tofu is gently spooned in, then the seafood is added. After a couple of minutes, I stirred in some salted shrimp, chopped up hot peppers, and the scallions.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk2-zOUEoWTqORX5Xa6f66YapI2zE4y1te8HugCOFZmZFaA75qebMWJAeujGUAslWE_-w0zFeRkag2kp2uZDcZN0FG0Vc8WgABdD22NNWjIHfQtWCrbIW_a9rOmSfywtemJ3i/s400/egg+for+soon+dubu+8-19-08.JPG)
The recipe I based this all off of said to put a raw egg yolk and some sesame oil on top of a bowl of soon dubu for serving. I just cracked an egg into the bottom of a bowl and ladled some hot soon dubu on top. Soon dubu should be served very, very hot, with steamed rice.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9uXldXDeGnd9DtLTkO-u85m_GkBdyMS1TbmCrKlLHioCmoN-XB77ZJABdV1WeJWvjnrmsM9S844bmmIgS0a_cDSJEM9WOu1zezBV8NDmp7co0U9kiPYVtOW16qkCV4J44TNp/s400/soon+dubu+8-19-08.JPG)
Soon dubu is very quick to make, no long cooking times involved. This was a definite improvement on my previous attempts, but it still isn't as richly flavourful as I remember it ought to be. Next time, I may actually use beef, and see if that helps.