Sundubu Jjigae 순두부 찌개 (Soft Tofu Stew), a hearty Korean soup low in Calories and great for a weight-loss diet!

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Today's food is called

"Sundubu Jjigae"

순두부 찌개

or Soft Tofu Stew in English.

 

Sundubu Jjigae (or Sundubu

for short) is always served

in "Tukbaegi" or a traditional

earthenware made of

red clay at restaruants.

 

Source: See below*

This special earthenware serves

as both a pot in kitchen

and a bowl served to customers.

It helps to keep warmth as well as

flavor of the stew.

 

Image of Tukbaegi pot

Jjigae or stew is thicker than soups

(Guk or Tang) and is served boliling hot

and is usually served as a main dish

whereas Guk is served as a side.

 

MAIN INGREDIENTS

The main ingredients are soft tofu

or soft bean curd usually boiled

with meat (beef or pork) or seafoods

(clams, mixed seafoods, shrimps etc.)

or a bit of both and vegetables

like zucchini and green onions.

A raw egg may be added to the

hot stew just before eating.

 

Source: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wkimedia Commons

 

It is usually spicy because of Gochugaru

(Korean hot chili pepper flakes) is used

as one of the main flavoring agent.

 

However, the taste range can be

spicy to mild depending on the

varieties. Usually when one orders

a regular Sundubu Jjigae, it is

a spicy version.

 

Image of Haemul (Seafood) Sundubu Jjigae

Sundubu with meat tastes more hearty

and has a deep flavor whereas the

seafood version is very savory.

 

The key to having a tasty Sundubu Jjigae

is to make sure that pieces of pork

belly (or your choice of meat),

sliced garlic, scallions, onions etc.

are stir-fried together with

a bit of cooking oil (and sesame oils)

and also Gochugaru (make sure this

doesn't get burned!) before adding

water. This allows for deep,

well mixed flavors that Sundubu

Jjigae is well known for.

 

Just before eating, one can also

add a raw egg and a few drops of

sesame oil which brings out even

more flavor and lessens the heat.

 

A QUICK KOREAN LESSON

Sun = Soft

Dubu = Tofu

Jjigae = Stew

Guk = Soup

Bap = Steamed or Cooked rice

 

NUTRITION OVERVIEW

Here is a quick overview of

Calories and the 3 major nutrients of

Sundubu Jjigae

per 100g portion.

 

A usual single serving is 400g.

 

Nutrition Facts 영양성분표*

Total Calories 열량(kcal) 50

Total Carb 탄수화물(g) 1.9

Fiber 식이섬유(g) 1.9

Sugars 당류(g) 0.3

Protein 단백질(g) 3.6

Total Fat 지방(g) 3.1

---

Net Carb 순탄수화물(g) 0

(Net Carb = Total Carb - Fiber)

(순탄수화물 = 탄수화물 - 식이섬유)

 

BALANCED DIET TIPS

This is a fairly low Calorie stew with

adequate amount of proteins

per meal and fairly low in fats and

carbohydrates due to the main ingredient

being soft tofu, a plant-based protein.

This stew could fit into most

of weight-loss diet plans!

 

 All carbs are actually fiber and

does not contribute much Calories

either. As mentioned previously,

based on one's preferences,

a raw egg added can contribute

to additional proteins.

 

In the Korean culture, complex

carbohydrates come from Bap

(steamed rice) that is always

served with Jjigae (stew).  If one

is on a low-carb diet, then the

stew can be consumed alone.

 

Image of a meal served at home. Sundubu Jjigae is served in Tukbaegi.

 

To note, it is not high in calcium like

regular firm tofu as the most of calcium

comes from a coagulating agent

like CaSO4 or CaCl2 which is used

less in soft tofu.

 

 

Nontheless, both kinds of tofu is high in

isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen

(phytoestrogen) that acts similar

as human estrogen,

but with much weaker effects.

 

Research suggests that eating tofu and

other foods containing isoflavones

is beneficial, for one, it is associated

with a moderately lower risk of heart

disease, esp. for younger women

and postemenopausal women

not taking hormones.

 

Although there are debates

around the benefits of soy,

hence tofu as well, it is generally

agreed that plant-based

proteins are better for health

if it is eaten as an alternative to

red and processed meat.

 

As with most Jjigae, Sundubu is

also high in sodium, so it'd be best

to consume less of the broth or liquid 

part of the Jjigae and eat more solids.

 

If you are making it at home,

you can put less salt (i.e. soy sauce)

and also order it less salty

at restaurants as well. 

 

Hope you enjoyed reading this post!

 

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*Source: 외식 영양성분 자료집 통합본

(2012년-2017년),

all foods are listed as per 100g of weight.