Spicy and Sour Kimchi Tofu Soup

Warm up with this vibrant, spicy, and sour kimchi tofu soup. Featuring tender pork belly, silky tofu, and crunchy enoki mushrooms, it is the perfect winter meal.

Ingredients

• 200 g pork belly
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 200 g kimchi
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 chayote
• 100 g bean sprouts
• 100 g enoki mushrooms
• 1 block silken tofu
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• to taste white vinegar
• to taste green chilies

Instructions

1. 1Render the pork belly

   

   Place the pork belly slices into a hot pan and cook until the fat is rendered and the meat is lightly browned. This creates a flavorful base for the soup.

   Tip: Do not overcrowd the pan so the pork can brown evenly.
2. 2Add aromatics

   

   Add the sliced onions and minced garlic to the pan with the browned pork belly. Stir-fry until they become fragrant and the onions are slightly softened.

   Tip: Keep the heat at medium to prevent the minced garlic from burning.
3. 3Stir-fry the kimchi

   

   Add a large spoonful of kimchi into the pan. Stir-fry the kimchi with the pork and aromatics until it becomes aromatic and slightly translucent.

   Tip: Stir-frying the kimchi helps release its deep, fermented flavor into the dish.
4. 4Season the base

   

   Add a spoonful of light soy sauce to the stir-fried ingredients to enhance the savory depth of the soup base.

   Tip: Use light soy sauce to maintain the color of the broth while adding saltiness.
5. 5Create the soup broth

   

   Pour in hot water to cover the stir-fried ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil to start developing the soup broth.

   Tip: Using hot water instead of cold water helps maintain the cooking temperature and speeds up the process.
6. 6Add vegetables

   

   Gently add the prepared chayote slices, bean sprouts, and enoki mushrooms to the boiling soup. Let them cook until tender.

   Tip: Add the delicate enoki mushrooms last so they retain their texture.
7. 7Add the silken tofu

   

   Gently place the sliced silken tofu on top of the simmering kimchi soup. The tofu is delicate, so avoid stirring too vigorously to keep the slices intact while they absorb the spicy, sour broth.

   Tip: Silken tofu is very fragile; slide it off your knife or a spatula directly into the pot to prevent breaking.
8. 8Season the soup

   

   Evenly sprinkle a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of salt over the tofu and soup. This balances the acidity of the kimchi and enhances the overall savory profile of the dish.

   Tip: Adjust the sugar and salt gradually to suit your personal preference for the balance between sweet, salty, and sour.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions