From Kenji’s Sundubu Jjigae.

Ingredients

• One 4-inch square piece kombu
• 1/2 cup small dried anchovies (optional)
• 2 cups very fermented kimchi with juice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced pork belly or bacon (optional)
• 6 scallions, finely sliced, greens and whites reserved separately
• 4 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grater
• 2 tablespoons gochujang (see note)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 to 4 tablespoons gochugaru, to taste (Korean dried chile flakes, see note)
• 24 ounces soft silken tofu, roughly broken
• 4 eggs

Process

1. Combine kombu and anchovies (if using) and cover with 1 quart water. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then strain. Discard solids and reserve broth. Meanwhile, drain kimchi in a fine mesh strainer set over a small bowl, squeezing to remove as much liquid as possible. Roughly chop kimchi and reserve kimchi and juice separately.
2. Heat oil in a 2 to 3 quart stone dolsot or saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork belly and cook, stirring constantly, until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Add scallion whites, garlic, and chopped kimchi. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add kimchi juice, gochujang, and soy sauce. Cook until vegetables are well-coated in even layer of sauce. Add strained broth, gochugaru, and soft. Stir gently and heat until boiling. Season to taste with more gochugaru or soy sauce if desired. Remove from heat and add eggs. sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve immediately while still boiling, gently stirring eggs into the broth.

1. Cut the kimchi into bite size pieces.

1. Cut the meat into bite sizes. Slice the tofu (about 1/2-inch thick), and roughly chop the scallions.

1. Heat a small to medium pot with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the kimchi, pork, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook over medium high heat until the kimchi is softened and the pork cooks through, about 5 to 7 minutes.

1. Add the kimchi juice and about 2 to 2.5 cups of water (or broth). Bring it to a boil, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium, and boil, covered, for about 15 minutes. You can add more water if necessary.

1. Drop the tofu and scallions in. Salt (or soup or regular soy sauce) and pepper to taste. (Salt is usually not necessary, unless kimchi was lightly seasoned or kimchi juice is not available.) Boil until the tofu is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve while bubbling over from the heat.