Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Sundubu, my heart beats for you



My love of Korean food turned into an obsession when I was introduced to sundubu, or spicy tofu stew. I used to eat this at least once a week when I lived in Oakland, and I was so addicted that when I moved to Dublin I started going into terrible, twitchy withdrawals. Apparently Ireland isn't the place to go for Korean food. My sainted father took pity on me and went to my favorite Korean restaurant back in California and begged their recipe off of them.

Sundubu was the dish that inspired me to start cooking Korean food and I've gotten many shocked reactions when I tell Korean people it's my favorite food. Just yesterday I told a girl in Gwangju that I love sundubu and she started laughing and hiding her face with her hands. I don't know why--maybe it's made from Christian babies or is synonymous with sexual virility--but whatever the story is, I love it. I've even learned the Korean alphabet, Hangul, so I can more easily figure out what to put in my face. They don't have pictures on the menus round these parts but μˆœλ‘λΆ€ is sundubu to me.


This one is from a restaurant called Bab near Hongik University in Seoul.


This one is from an amazing tofu house also in Hongdae.

2 comments:

  1. When you make it to NYC, I'd like you to give me a cooking class on this soup. Please.

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  2. your dad's blog certainly rivals yours. what a great read.:)

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