Without a doubt “Tofu kimchi” is a Korean soul food. And it is also a perfect example of a dish that was born out of necessity. Just until a few decades ago Korea was extremely poor, which means most people had to make the best of whatever they had. And so many of those dishes that came from the hardship in the past have in fact become the backbone of Korean cuisine. They might have been the only options for those who were in my grand parents and parents generation back then, but now they are kind of dishes that we all love and cannot imagine living without. And for that I feel quite lucky and grateful.
Tofu kimchi is one of those dishes that most Koreans simply cannot live without. And today’s recipe is a quick and easy rendition of it. It is so simple to make that it feels like you hardly did any cooking to be honest. But you will be pleasantly surprised by robust flavor and satisfaction you get from the dish. Not to mention it is so healthy and nutritious too. The dish is great as it is, but if you want to make it a more substantial meal, serve it with brown rice or eggs, or both :-). You can use spring onions (scallions) instead of chives.
- Prep and cook for 15-20mins
- Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup. kimchi
- 600g/21oz. tofu
- 80g/2.8oz Asian/garlic chives, chopped into 2″ length
- 2 mild chilis, chopped into 1/2″ length
- 1 1/2 – 2 tbsp. regular olive or neutral flavored oil
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Add kimchi and 1 tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan. Stir well and cook over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add a little more oil if necessary.
Add in tofu with a little more oil and scramble for a couple of minutes.
Stir in chopped chives and chilis and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Lastly add toasted sesame seeds on top, then it’s done. Enjoy!
