Kimchi Soup

Here's my (maybe not so authentic) take on jigae, a Korean stew. The broth is typically flavored with gojujang, but after buying two bottles of the fermented chili sauce over the years and never eating it, I know I'm not its biggest fan. This soup got all of its flavor from the delicious, sour liquid from the kimchi bottle. Of which I am a huge fan.

A few years ago I bought a dolsot from H-Mart, and while I've mostly used it for serving, it is a great piece of cookware. You can put it directly on the gas stove burner, fill it up with ingredients, and turn up the heat slowly so it doesn't crack. Soon it will be boiling and bubbling..this looked so satisfying I included a video down below for you to enjoy! When it's ready, you can even eat straight from the dolsot, just be careful to not burn your fingers! 


Kimchi Soup
1/2 jar kimchi + liquid (make sure it's vegan, I use Banyan Foods, a local Houston company)
1/3 block firm tofu (I used Trader Joe's High Protein)
green onion (sliced for garnishing)
handful cherry tomato (halved)
handful mushroom (sliced)
mushroom broth powder + 2 C water
fresh ground black pepper
dash white pepper

1. Put dolsot on stove and add kimchi, onion, and mushrooms to the bottom in sections.
2. Arrange tofu on top and add tomatoes.
3. Add broth and pepper. Turn heat to low and slowly bring up temperature over several minutes so the bowl doesn't crack. 
4. Cook on medium for 10-15 minutes using chopsticks or a spoon to push ingredients down if tofu is floating. Soup should be bubbling.
5. Serve immediately with fresh green onions as garnish and soy sauce if desired.