Soon Doo Boo JiGae Recipe

Though soon doo boo jigae is traditionally made with a bit of spice, my mom has long made it without adding fine red chili powder to accommodate me and my sisters when we were growing up, and now her toddler grandsons.

Still, even without the spice, this stew is richly satisfying, and is an excellent source of healthy protein, bone-building minerals, and plenty of antioxidants from a plethora of fresh vegetables.

Ingredients:

1 small to medium zucchini
1 small to medium white or yellow flesh potato
1 small to medium carrot
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
Large handful of oyster mushrooms
1 green (spring) onion
Large handful of broccoli
1 small to medium yellow onion
Silky soft tofu - about 2 cups
5 to 6 cups vegetable broth
Miso (called den jang in Korean)

Directions:

1. Chop all vegetables into bite-size pieces - leave the tofu as is.

2. Bring vegetable broth to a boil and add potatoes, carrots, and onions, and allow these root vegetables to cook for about ten minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are slightly tender.

3. Add zucchini, broccoli, red and green bell peppers, and mushrooms to the mix - let things boil on for another 5 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.

4. Add 2 tablespoons of miso, mix well and spread along sides of pot if necessary to fully dissolve miso. Give it a taste, and add more if desired.

Traditionally, soon doo boo jigae is made to be rich and somewhat salty, and is balanced out with a bowl of steamed rice.

5. Add silky soft tofu and spring onions - if the tofu doesn't break up a bit on its own as you give everything a gentle stir, use your mixing utensil to break the tofu apart a bit. Cook on low heat until tofu and green onions are heated through.

Serve this hearty soon doo boo jigae while it's hot, and don't forget the rice on the side to balance it out. Enjoy!

For a look at this recipe in pictures, have a look at:

How to Make Soon Doo Boo Ji Gae - Miso Stew Recipe