Garlic and Perilla Seed Sundubu

Ingredients

• 11 oz Extra soft tofu (Sundubu)
• 4 tablespoons Toasted perilla seed powder (Deul-kkae-ga-ru)
• 6 cloves Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1.5 cups Dried anchovy and kelp broth
• 2 pieces Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Fish sauce or soup soy sauce
• 1 stalk Green onion, chopped
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt(optional)
• 0.5 tablespoon Sweet rice flour (mixed with 1 tbsp water)(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a small stone pot (ttukbaegi) or saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium-low heat.

2. 2

   Add the sliced garlic and sauté slowly until the edges are golden brown and fragrant, being careful not to burn them.

3. 3

   Pour in the anchovy-kelp broth and add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, then bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

4. 4

   Carefully add the soft tofu in large chunks, letting the broth return to a simmer.

5. 5

   Stir in the fish sauce or soup soy sauce to season the base broth.

6. 6

   In a small bowl, whisk the perilla seed powder with a few spoonfuls of the hot broth to create a paste, then stir it back into the pot.

7. 7

   If a thicker consistency is desired, stir in the sweet rice flour slurry and simmer for 1 minute until the soup thickens slightly.

8. 8

   Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately with a bowl of steamed rice.