# Kimchi soup--my first success with tofu



## blissful (Mar 12, 2012)

I have used tofu in about 12 recipes, and I've not had any success at liking it--UNTIL NOW.

I drained the tofu by placing a weight on it, and letting it dry out a bit--3 hours.

Even the first day--it had no flavor.
The second day--FANTASTIC! It had soaked up the kimchi flavor.

I made a soup of Kimchi, quickly fried pork slices, some garlic, some broth, some tofu in cubes.

It only got better as time went on.


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## powerplantop (Mar 12, 2012)

Kimchi soup is usually better the next day. I also like to use older kimchi and cook it quite a bit before adding the tofu.


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## blissful (Mar 12, 2012)

powerplantop said:


> Kimchi soup is usually better the next day. I also like to use older kimchi and cook it quite a bit before adding the tofu.


yes, I'd say this was elderly kimchi


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## jennyema (Mar 12, 2012)

we eat kimchi soup with udon and tofu all the time.  for breakfast sometimes


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## giggler (Mar 12, 2012)

@Blissful or Powerplant, Kimchi soup Recipe for success please!

Eric, Austin Tx.


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## spork (Mar 12, 2012)

I'm hungry for details, too, blissful!
Press and dry tofu block 3 hrs.  Cube.  Toss (or cook) with basic napa cabbage kimchi and refrigerate two days.  Do I have it right?  And then add it to a garlicky broth with maybe pork slices and udon noodles?


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## powerplantop (Mar 12, 2012)

giggler said:


> @Blissful or Powerplant, Kimchi soup Recipe for success please!
> 
> Eric, Austin Tx.



Eric, in this one I cook the pork on top of the soup and serve it separate. But you could cut the pork up in smaller pieces cook it in the soup and at the end add tofu. 

Kimchi Jjim


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## buckytom (Mar 13, 2012)

lol, how do you know when kimchi is bad?

does it stop smelling like old garlic filled gym socks?

j/k. the answer is that it becomes fizzy and then makes someone sick...

gotta love a culture that doesn't use expiration dates, but rather embraces them.

i've had success with tofu. i stuffed it in the cavity around the windows to keep out drafts. it's r value outweighs it's culinary one.

again, kidding.

yes, recipe please. only something like kimchi could make tofu tasty.


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## blissful (Mar 13, 2012)

Drain 10 oz tofu, placing it on the back of a plate in the sink, and use the tofu container full of water as a weight. Let it drain for 3 hours.

In the meantime, saute the pork, quickly marinated in soy sauce and coated with corn starch, in bite size pieces (8 oz boneless pork chops), in a little oil until starting to brown.
Slice up 3 cloves (or more) of garlic.
Put 2 cups of elderly kimchi in a pan, with a cup of veggie broth, the garlic and the pork. Cook for an hour or more until the pork is tender.
Add cubed tofu at the end--don't add it early or it might break up into small pieces from stirring.

Let sit in the refrigerator until the next day. Reheat and serve.
Most recipes I found, added more chili spices--I didn't add anything to make it more hot. The kimchi I had made was spicy enough for this household.

Powerplantop-good video.

I didn't think of adding udon, or any noodles--it would need more liquid for that. It would probably be good with them.

The ending taste was spicy and strongly sour and more stew like than soup like.
If you like kimchi because it makes you feel healthy on a hot day, kimchi soup makes you feel like an olympian during the cold winter.


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## Rocklobster (Mar 13, 2012)

Quick question. Can you make Kimchi with regular cabbage. The reason I ask is that I have a bunch here I need to use up. I know you are supposed to use Napa but what would the difference be other than texture?


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## blissful (Mar 13, 2012)

Rock--I use whatever I have--red cabbage, green, any kind, and you can add, cucumbers, greens, peppers, turnips. I like my red cabbage kimchi the best.


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## powerplantop (Mar 13, 2012)

Rocklobster said:


> Quick question. Can you make Kimchi with regular cabbage. The reason I ask is that I have a bunch here I need to use up. I know you are supposed to use Napa but what would the difference be other than texture?



You can make it with regular cabbage. It does have a different texture but it works.


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## CWS4322 (Mar 13, 2012)

powerplantop said:


> You can make it with regular cabbage. It does have a different texture but it works.


Excellent--I couldn't resist cabbage at 29 cents/lb when I was in NY yesterday...have about 12 heads to use up...some is being made into sauerkraut, some cabbage roll meatloaf, but was wondering what to do with with the other 3 heads...thanks!


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