Snapshots from South Korea: Soondubu and More from Ddukbaegi Jip
Last month I visited Seoul, South Korea, Here's a look at something I ate from my trip. For more, check out the rest of my Snapshots from South Korea.
"This is it," Rob said while pointing to a window full of bubbling mini-cauldrons of stew on top of a gas range. My eyes grew wide. Some girls are enticed by windows full of jewelry or shoes; I'm all about the seething pots of stew.
Or rather, I'm all about the single-dish restaurants. Ddukbaegi Jip, or Hot Pot/Stew House, is the haven of stew that stood before us. This small, homey restaurant only serves four items: boiled snails with doenjang (fermented soybean paste), doenjang jjigae (fermented soybean soup), soondubu (soft tofu stew); and kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew). Our group of five just stuck with the soups, although I'd assume they've perfected their snail-cooking technique as well.
Aside from banchan (peppers, kimchi, stewed soybeans, watercress), each order of stew came with a bowl of rice. The rice was topped with shredded seaweed and hidden under the rice was a pile of soybean sprouts.
My favorite was the soft tofu stew (₩3,500; $2.80) mostly consisting of huge, silky soft, jiggly blocks of tofu in a thin, spicy red pepper flake and paste-flavored broth with vegetables. Since getting tofu stew was the main reason I wanted to go to Ddukbaegi Jip, I'll admit that I paid less attention to the other dishes. But they were all hearty and satisfying in the way that the combination of spicy, chunky stew plus gobs of sticky rice is. Here are the other stews:
Kimchi stew (₩4,500; $3.60) featuring our favorite spicy, fermented cabbage product.
Fermented soybean stew (₩3,500; $2.80) made with doenjang.
And if you want to add more spicy/sweet flavor to your dishes, just reach into the communal pot filled to the brim with gochujang, a thick fermented paste made of glutinous rice powder, fermented soybeans, and red pepper.
This is the kind of place I love: specialized, inexpensive, efficient, delicious, and filling. If you're wondering why five people shared three bowls, it's because Ddukbaegi Jip was just one stop during an afternoon eating binge. Eat soondubu for a snack or a meal; it's all good.
Thank you to Emily Koh for helping me translate.
Ddukbaegi Jip (뚝배기집)
Map and directions courtesy of Rob. And a map if you know Korean.
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11 Comments:
Kimchi stew is probably my favorite comfort food. My recipe replaces all water in the bowl with soju instead. Tastes way better that way.... :)
lysine at 6:57PM on 06/17/09
@lysine - OMG, with soju?! Never tried it, but that'll soon be rectified!
bionicgrrrl at 8:42PM on 06/17/09
@lysine: UH WUT? I'll have to try your version someday!
Robyn Lee at 9:38PM on 06/17/09
@bionicgrrrl: I usually use Jinro Chamjinisulro Soju. It leaves a slightly smoky flavor behind cause of the charcoal filtration. Should be able to be found at your local K store. By the way not all the alcohol boils off, so depending oh how much you eat, it'll leave you a little buzzed. In case you plan to drive anywhere. :) I never noticed it until one of my less alcohol tolerant friends started turning red. I also highly recommend eating it with black rice, cause the nutty flavor complements the smoky flavor very well. I hope you find it to your liking. Reactions have been fairly positive.
@roboppy: Always happy to oblige.
lysine at 12:53AM on 06/18/09
Robin, The more posts you put up from Seoul, the more my trip to Korea in October doesn't come soon enough!
dijon9955 at 8:49AM on 06/18/09
i've always wanted to try soondubu. my favorite korean restaurant offers it. i might have to make a run out there this weekend.
kristygarr at 9:31AM on 06/18/09
i love that first picture- fire!
anyone have any good soondubu recipes? been looking online without much success.
kjeweler at 11:16AM on 06/18/09
LOVE soondubu! There's a really good little soondubu house in Annendale, VA (suburb of DC). LA's Koreatown has a couple of soondubu places that are pretty excellent. Of course, now I'm Indianapolis with only 2.5 good Korean restaurants. I make a LOT of Korean food at home.
Keep these Korean shots coming! I'm loving it! Even though the pictures have me salivating and wanting Korean food at rather inconvenient times.
Now, I'm also thinking I should buy a couple of those ddukbaegi (clay/stone pots). I've been wanting to get a couple for dol sot bibim bap and jigae.
wookie at 1:37PM on 06/18/09
I second that call for soondubu jigae recipes! I haven't had it in months, and I'm in serious withdrawl. It's one of the dishes I use as a benchmark when evaluating Korean restos.
Judes at 1:40PM on 06/18/09
@dijon9955: When you go you'll be REAAAALLY ready to stuff yourself. And well prepared, I hope!
@wookie: I only have ..ee...2 or so more Korean posts coming. Or 3. Unfortunately, memories of Korea are diminishing.. ;_;
And I too will take any good soondubu recipe. I've never made it.
Robyn Lee at 4:55PM on 06/19/09
mmm. I'm going to go there and eat tonight.
roboseyo at 5:03AM on 06/25/09