Spicy Kimchi Stew
Belle Cushing
Raise your hand if you’ve got a case of the Tuesdays. Or a hangover that Sunday (or Monday) didn’t quite kill. If you don’t nip those lingering last-week ailments in the bud, you know you’re in for a rough five more days. This fiery Korean-inspired stew is like a reset button. Fiber-rich kimchi acts as the ultimate cleansing tool—the good bacteria in this fermented veggie will more than reverse that decadent Saturday night splurge—and an egg yolk on top adds just the right amount of depth. Combined with silky tofu and snappy scallions in a spicy, cleansing broth, this stew becomes a total detox meal—but one that’s complex, hearty, and comforting, too. Because there’s more to cleansing than green juice.
SEE MORE: How to Boil an Egg
SPICY KIMCHI TOFU STEW
recipe by Alison Roman
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 16-oz. package silken tofu, cut into 1” pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups gently squeezed cabbage kimchi, chopped, plus 1 cup liquid
2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
8 scallions, cut into 1” pieces
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Freshly ground black pepper
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
SEE MORE: The 15 Most Common Counterfeit Foods—and How to Identify Them
Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat, carefully add tofu, and simmer gently until slightly puffed and firmed up, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tofu to a medium bowl.
Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add kimchi and gochujang and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 5–8 minutes. Add kimchi liquid and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until kimchi is softened and translucent, 35–40 minutes.
Add scallions, soy sauce, and tofu; simmer gently until tofu has absorbed flavors, 20–25 minutes (tofu will fall apart a little). Add sesame oil; season with salt and pepper. Ladle stew into bowls; top each with an egg yolk and sesame seeds.
See more from Bon Appetit:
10 Snacks You Thought Were Healthy But Really Aren’t
25 Ways to Use Sriracha
22 Recipes Everyone Should Know How to Cook
