Tofu & Egg in a Skillet, spicy

This spicy Korean tofu stew is cooked in a skillet and topped with eggs. It’s short and direct to whip up for breakfast, but it’s also satisfying enough to justify making it for dinner. It’s gluten-free and vegetarian adaptable! (for lacto-ovo-vegetarians)

“Phenomenal recipe! Made it 5 nights in a row because it was so savory. Adding this to the catalog of our favorites.”

Stay B

We don’t watch TV that often, but we often overhear conversations about particular foods seen on TV. As a foodie, we always have to find out what it is and if we would like it.

This recipe, Korean style tofu and eggs, 매운 두부달걀찜 (maewoon dubu dalgyal jjim), was one recipe that we heard was good. It is simply pan-fried tofu and eggs with spicy sauce cooked in a skillet.

Braised tofu (dubu jorim) is one of our favorite among other several tofu recipes. This would be another version with a similar flavor but with eggs.

It is unfussy and wonderful to eat as with rice, for either Korean breakfast or dinner. Short and unfussy, this would be steady for a weeknight meat-free Korean food theme, if you can handle the spiciness.

It might look similar to Korean spicy soft tofu stew (soondubu jjigae), but it has a different flavor and cooked differently.

It’s a great gluten-free dish (if using gluten-free soy sauce) and also vegetarian adaptable recipe (for lacto-ovo-vegetarians), so everyone would be happy to enjoy this savory meal.

How the dish comes together

Step 1: Prepare Tofu

Slice the tofu into about 3/8 inch thickness.

Sprinkle with some salt on top, and set aside for a few minutes.

Step 2: Anchovy sea kelp stock or water

Meanwhile, you will need to make a short anchovy sea kelp stock by simmering the two together with water for 5 minutes. Reserve the stock and discard your sea friends.

You can use plain water instead, but the stock will give more deep umami flavor to the dish.

Vegetarian adaptable recipe: Omit the anchovy and use the sea kelp only. If not using stock, use plain water instead.

Step 3: Seasoning sauce

Combine onion, garlic, soy sauce, Korean soup soy sauce, Korean chili flakes, sugar, pepper, and sesame seeds in a bowl.

Add the anchovy stock and mix well.

Step 4: Pan-fry tofu

Press the tofu slices firmly with a piece of paper towel to remove the extra moisture.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu slices and pan fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Add more oil if needed. You might need to do this in two batches depending on the size of your skillet.

Step 5: Add sauce and boil

Put all the fried tofu back in the skillet and pour the sauce over them. Let the whole thing boil.

Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Looking good~! Taste the sauce to see if you need any additional seasoning.

Step 6: Add eggs and simmer

Crack 3-4, or how ever many eggs you desire, on top, and continue to cook. You might want to cover the skillet again to cook the egg white part but leave the yolk still runny.

Here is the finished look. Sprinkle on some green onion to finish it off!

Ways to serve it

Serve with rice! Crack the yolk and mix with all the great flavor that got soaked into tofu. You will love the flavor!

Enjoy every little drop of the sauce. So great to drizzle over the rice and you can easily empty out one bowl of rice within seconds. You don’t need a fancy serving dish. Just place the skillet on the table the way it is and share. This is where the human bonding begins, the Korean way…!

Leftover and Reheating Tips

Store leftover in a refrigerator for up to 1 week. To reheat, simply microwave it until hot. The eggs (if there’s any left) will be cooked completely in the microwave, though.

• Yield: 4 serving
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (1 lb) firm tofu, drained
• 1-2 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup anchovy sea kelp stock or water, see note below
• 2 tablespoon Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 2 tablespoon sou sauce
• 2 tablespoon Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• a few dashes black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1-2 green onion, chopped
• 3-4 eggs

Method

1. Drain the tofu from the package and slice into 3/8-inch thickness. Sprinkle salt all over the tofu and let them sit for 5 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Press tofu slices with a piece of paper tower to remove excess moisture and add them to the skillet. Pan-fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip to the other side and fry another 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining oil if needed. You might need to do this in two batches. Keep the tofu in the skillet.
3. Meanwhile, combine all the rest of the ingredients except the green onion and eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over tofu in a skillet and bring it to boil. Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to low and simmer, about 10 minutes, or until onion is soft and tender.
4. Uncover, add crack the eggs on top. Cover loosely and continue to simmer until the egg whites are mostly cooked but the yolks are still runny.
5. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper according to your taste. Sprinkle with green onion and serve hot with rice.

Notes

To make anchovy sea kelp stock: pour 2 cups of water in a sauce pan and add 6-7 large dried anchovies and a piece of dried sea kelp (konbu). Bring to boil first, then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the sea kelp and let it rest for a few more minutes. Discard the anchovies before adding to the recipe.