Tofu and kimchi play a part in many, many Korean dishes, but aren’t grouped together all that often. (I’m not counting the instances when tofu and kimchi are served as side dishes.) The exception is dubu kimchi, a dish that is entirely focused on the marriage of tofu and kimchi.

In Korea, dubu kimchi is most commonly served as a nighttime accompaniment to alcoholic beverages. But since it is a very substantial snack, it could also be eaten as a meal.

Dubu Kimchi (Kimchi and Tofu) — 두부 김치

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 7 oz. Napa cabbage kimchi*
• ½ medium yellow onion
• 5 oz. pork belly
• Vegetable or sunflower oil for frying
• 1 Tbsp. garlic, crushed
• 2 Tbsp. scallions, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, pan-toasted (and ground, if desired)
• 1 block (16 oz.) firm tofu

*You can buy this kimchi ready-made at a grocery store or cook it yourself. Here’s a recipe if you want to make it.

Steps

• Slice kimchi into pieces 1 to 1½-inches long.
• Peel onion and cut vertically into slices.
• Thinly slice pork belly.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a frying pan. Add kimchi, onion, pork, garlic and scallions and stir fry until pork is well cooked.
• Turn off heat. Add sesame oil and sesame seeds to kimchi mixture and mix well.
• Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to a boil.
• Place entire block of tofu in boiling water for a few seconds, then remove and drain, taking care not to let the tofu crumble.
• Cut tofu into pieces 1½ x ¾ inches in size and ½-inch thick.
• Place fried kimchi mixture in center of a serving plate, arrange tofu pieces around edge and serve with steamed rice.

[From Korean Cooking]