Tofu Soup Base

This sauce is the soup base for Soft Tofu Stew (순두부 찌개, Soondubu Jjigae) and for Mapo Tofu. I like to make this sauce in large batches and leave it in the fridge, so that whenever I want soft tofu stew or mapo tofu, it is ready in 10-15 minutes. The sauce can last for weeks in the fridge, but if you want it to last longer, portion it out into 2 tablespoon portions and freeze (an ice cube tray would work great for this)! This recipe will make about 1 quart of sauce. If you don’t think you will use this much, then cut the recipe in half.

Quick Notes:

⏲<1 hour

🇰🇷 Some ingredients may need to bought at a Korean grocery or online

🍆Vegetarian friendly (substitute ground pork with finely diced shitake mushrooms)

👍🏻Very easy and great for beginners!

❄️Great for making in large batches and freezing for serving later!

What You’ll Need:

½ cup of cooking oil

2 tablespoons of sesame oil

1 cup green onions

1 cup of ground pork (or shitake mushrooms)

2 cups of onions (about 2 medium onions)

½ cup finely minced garlic

1 cup of red pepper flakes

½ cup soup soy sauce

¼ cup of salt

2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:

Heat the cooking oil and sesame oil on medium high heat in a large wok. When heated, add the green onions. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the pork and onions. Cook until the pork is browned and the onions are transluscent, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, soup soy sauce, salt, then mix. Last, add the sugar. Mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat.

You should start to see the sauce thicken into a paste. Scoop the sauce into a container, and leave in the fridge. Now you are ready to make soft tofu stew or mapo tofu!