Korean Steamed Tofu with Soy Sauce
Quick answer
- Total time
- 18 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Dubu-jjim is firm tofu steamed and topped with a seasoning sauce of soy sauce, gochugaru, chopped green onion, garlic, and sesame oil.
Read more
Cutting the tofu into thick slabs before steaming lets heat penetrate evenly, producing pieces with slight resistance on the outside and a silky interior. The soy and chili sauce drizzled over the warm tofu seeps into each slice, delivering salty and mildly spicy flavors throughout. Sesame oil and seeds finish with a toasted aroma. Cooked without any added oil, it is a clean, protein-rich banchan that fits well on a vegetarian spread. Lightly salting the tofu before steaming draws out excess moisture, which allows the seasoning sauce to absorb more deeply and firms up the texture.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Wrap 400g firm tofu in paper towels and press gently for about 5 minutes to remove surface moisture.
Sprinkle lightly with salt so the tofu firms up and absorbs the seasoning more evenly later.
- 2Control
Cut the tofu into thick, even slabs about 2cm wide so they hold their shape.
Add water to the pot, bring it to a boil over high heat, and wait until strong steam fills the steamer.
- 3Control
Arrange the tofu in the steamer without overlapping, then cover and steam for 5 to 6 minutes.
Cook until the outside feels slightly springy and the center is fully warm, but avoid steaming so long that it breaks.
- 4Season
Mix 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 20g chopped green onion, 0.5 tbsp minced garlic, and 0.5 tbsp gochugaru in a bowl.
Stir until the chili flakes hydrate and the sauce becomes slightly thick, not watery.
- 5Finish
Move the steamed tofu to a plate carefully so the slabs do not crumble.
Spoon the sauce over the top while the tofu is hot, then let it sit for about 1 minute so the seasoning seeps in.
- 6Finish
Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil evenly over the tofu and sprinkle with 0.5 tsp sesame seeds.
Serve while warm, when the tofu is soft inside and the soy, chili, and sesame aromas are most noticeable.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Dubu-jjim focuses on oil-free steaming to deliver a clean soy flavor and soft tofu texture.
- Finish cue
- Serve while warm, when the tofu is soft inside and the soy, chili, and sesame aromas are most noticeable.
- Avoid this
- Cook until the outside feels slightly springy and the center is fully warm, but avoid steaming so long that it breaks.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
18min, 7 ingredients
Category median
45min, 8 ingredients
Based on 183 recipes
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