What can I say. I love korean food. There is a part of me that feels like I’m coming home every time I eat it. Kimchi Soondubu Jjigae was one of the first korean dishes I ever tried and it was love at first bite. The spiciness of the kimchi with the creaminess of the tofu and the gooey egg over rice. I was in love.
I Am A Korean
If you don’t already know I am korean transracial adoptee. If you’re unaware of what that means, it is growing up in another racial or ethnic group outside of your own. Growing up in Western, WI, I never had access to any korean food. I didn’t get to learn about my culture or heritage. I never got to go to korean camp nor did I really even know any koreans that weren’t adopted. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I realized how much I was missing. When I was younger I pretended that I fit in. That I wasn’t another race but the truth is, I was. Korean culture is part of my identity. It’s in my DNA. It’s who I am.
One day I knew that I would to return to Korea. I would see the place that I had dreams about.
My Korean Experience
My experience in korea was magical and overwhelming. It was full of many emotional thoughts and feelings.
I went with my now husband and some friends in my early 20s. I ended up knowing people that where already living there so they could show us the culture from a non tourist standpoint. It was so surreal. Both identifying with a place and yet having nothing in common with it. Even the thought that I could be speaking a whole different language under different circumstances boggled my mind.
Having a good group to travel with helped me. Just having people who understood where I was coming from made all the difference! I was grateful to have the experience with people I loved.
Food Is Life
The night markets, the street food, the shops, the little restaurants. I was in heaven. The loud late night hustle, lights, pop up soju tents. My love for food wasn’t random. It was my heritage, my culture. The need to find out more about different foods, cuisines. Feeding people as my love language. It all made sense now. Food was deep rooted in my soul. Every Omma (mother) took me into their arms and showered me with their jjigaes, kimbaps, bulgolgis. Each bite of rice cake, tteokbokki, paegon sent me to a place of comfort. I was home.
One of my first main meals 
Budae Jjigae with friends. 
Another Jjigae
Grateful that I had the opportunity to go and experience the culture and the people. I hope to go back again. In the meantime I will keep making korean food as a way to stay true to my heritage and to share a piece of me with all of you! If your a fan of korean food as much as me check out some other recipes I have with korean flavors. Kimchi Soondubu Jjigae is one of the soups that made me fall in love with korean food. I hope it does the same for you.
Other Korean Recipes
This Jjigae recipe is made for basically one person unless you eat it with rice. Then it can definitely feed 2 people. Feel free to double the recipe if you are making it in a larger pot. But personally I love thinking about making this soup just for me. My single hot pot. Enjoying the whole experience. Cooking it and then sitting down with a piping hot bowl. Eating it one delicious spoonful at a time. Manjog.
Kimchi Soondubu Jjigae
Equipment
- Earthenware Pot
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsp Yellow Onion Chopped
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Minced
- 1 Garlic Clove Minced
- 2 Tbsp Canned Clams
- 1 Tbsp Clam Juice
- 1/4 Cup Dried Mushrooms I like Shiitake and Cremini
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos Or Soy Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Kimchi Chopped
- 1-2 Tbsp Gochugaru Korean Red Pepper Powder
- 1 Cup Vegetable Stock Or Water
- 6 Oz Soondubu Tofu Or Soft Tofu
- 1 Egg
- 2 Tbsp Green Onions Chopped. For Garnish
- 1 Drizzle of Sesame oil For Garnish
Instructions
- Start by heating your ttukbaegi or sauce pan.
- Add in your sesame oil.
- Next add in your chopped onions, garlic, and ginger.
- Next mix in your clams and clam juice.
- Now add in your coconut aminos, dried mushrooms and kimchi.
- Stir in you vegetable stock and bring up to a soft boil,
- Add in your soondubu or soft tofu. Break it up carefully.
- Let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes and then crack an egg in it.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and drizzle with sesame oil.
- Serve immediately with rice.