Soondubu Stew

When a health-conscious girl from Moldova makes Korean food in the States, it looks something like this:

A BIG MESS. In other words, a Soondubu Stew.

Soondubu, proper pronunciation not required, means “extra soft tofu”. My variation on the stew does not call for any tofu. Sorry.

Inspired by both a Russian soup Solyanka and a Korean street-food stew, this mishmash is currently my newest obsession. And I promise it will become yours too, if you are also into spicy, umami comfort food. You’re welcome!

This healthy hearty dish is full of vegetables and protein. Which is a good thing, because I like to eat food that fills me up and does not weigh me down. The fiery broth has a kick to it and definitely warms the belly from the inside. In fact, it is so good that I almost wish I could bottle it up and sell it!

Soondubu Stew

Food Truck Road Trip and Archimedes Spa’s Solyanka

Ingredients

• 3 sweet chicken sausages from Trader Joe’s, diced
• 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Korean coarse red pepper powder (or none if you can’t do spicy food)
• 6 dehydrated shiitake mushrooms
• 1 yellow squash zucchini, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 medium size pickles, diced
• 4 cups stock
• ½ cup diced scallion

Directions

1. To re-hydrate the mushrooms, place them in a cup of boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes
2. In a medium pot, without heat, mix the sausage, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper. Turn the heat on high and saute for 2 to 4 minutes
3. Add the rest of ingredients. Bring to boil
4. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add scallions
5. Serve on its own or over brown rice or quinoa

Wine Pairing

It is pretty darn challenging to pair wine with Korean food. Trust me – I’ve tried! Your best bet – a light dry Biltmore Riesling that balances rather than fights the intense flavors in the stew.