DOOBOO KIMCHI (두부김치• Tofu and Kimchi)

This is one of my favorite ways to eat kimchi—stir-fried in a sweet and spicy sauce, with a little tofu to sop it up. I used to order dooboo kimchi at the local Korean bar I went to all the time before going vegan. It’s one of those dishes that you order when you’re feeling pretty salty with your boss or you’re about to throw down with your significant other for failing to empty the dishwasher for the thirty-seventh time in a row, because it’s spicy and sweet and savory and leaves a good kinda burning in the pit of your stomach.

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Step 1

In a small pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add the whole block of tofu gently to the pot. Cook the tofu for 8 to 9 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook until both sides are evenly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and then remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Do not cover the mushrooms. Hold on to the pan.

Step 3

Remove the tofu from the boiling water and gently slice the block in half. If the center is still cool to the touch, place both halves back into the boiling water and cook until the centers are warm, about 2 more minutes. When the tofu is completely cooked, pat the block(s) dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Slice the block into ⅓-inch-thick pieces. You should have 8 to 9 pieces of tofu. Set them aside.

Step 4

Set the reserved large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ½ tablespoon of sesame oil and the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions turn translucent and the garlic starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

Step 5

Add the baechu kimchi to the pan and continue to sauté all the vegetables until the kimchi starts to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the gochujang dressing to the pan and stir all the ingredients until they are evenly coated with the sauce. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Step 6

Add the scallion and chili, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds, and drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

Step 7

To serve, place the sautéed kimchi mixture in the center of a round platter and arrange the tofu slices in a circle along the edge of your platter. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon gochujang dressing.

Step 8

NOTES

Step 9

The trumpet mushrooms should be sliced lengthwise into the same thickness as you would thickly slice pork belly—which is what they are replacing. Trust me, it works.