Dubu-Jorim: Spicy Braised Tofu

A plate of tofu can bring both substance and contrast to a simple rice meal. In Maangchi’s dubu-jorim, thin slices are browned before meeting a sauce built around soy sauce and gochugaru. Onion, garlic, green onion and toasted sesame give the dish its supporting flavors.

We like this selection as a way to plan a table around a few small dishes rather than one oversized centerpiece. Rice can anchor the meal while the tofu supplies the stronger seasoning. A plainly dressed vegetable alongside it would keep the plate from becoming crowded with competing sauces.

Maangchi presents dubu-jorim as a Korean side dish and lunchbox staple. Read her original method to understand the sequence of browning and braising; this feature is an invitation to her recipe, not a substitute for it or a claim that we tested it.

Recipe creator: Maangchi. Read the complete original dubu-jorim recipe and watch the demonstration.

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