Photo: KFoodaddict · CC BY
Steps
- 1
Pat the tofu slices thoroughly dry with paper towel.
- 2
Heat oil in a skillet and fry the tofu until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes a side.
- 3
Mix soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar, garlic and water into a sauce.
- 4
Pour the sauce around the tofu rather than over it.
- 5
Simmer uncovered on low, spooning sauce over the tofu as it reduces.
- 6
Cook 8-10 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy and mostly gone.
- 7
Finish with sesame oil off the heat.
- 8
Top with green onion and sesame seeds.
Did you know — Korean culture
Jorim is a whole category of Korean cooking rather than a single recipe: anything braised down in a seasoned liquid until the sauce nearly disappears takes the name. It exists partly for preservation - reduced soy and sugar keep a dish edible for days without refrigeration, which is why jorim dishes were staples of the pre-refrigeration banchan table.
Frying first is what stops this dish falling apart. Raw tofu dropped straight into braising liquid disintegrates at the edges and absorbs water rather than sauce. A proper golden crust on both sides gives it a skin that holds its shape and gives the sauce something to cling to.
Dry tofu fries; wet tofu spits and steams. Press the slices between paper towels until the surface looks matte rather than glossy - it takes a minute and it is the difference between browning and sticking.
This is a jorim, which means the liquid is meant to reduce away almost entirely rather than remaining as a sauce to spoon over rice. Keep the heat low and the lid off, and baste rather than stir, so the tofu ends up lacquered instead of swimming.
Tofu has been a cheap, dependable protein in Korean cooking for centuries, long before plant-based eating was framed as a trend. Dubu jorim earns its place on the weeknight table for practical reasons: it is fast, it costs almost nothing, and it reheats without turning to mush. Everyday food, not health food.
Troubleshooting
Tofu breaking up? It went into the sauce unfried. Brown it properly on both sides first.
Sauce still thin after 10 minutes? Lid off and heat slightly up - it should reduce to a glaze, not stay soupy.
Tofu sticking to the pan? Not dry enough, or the pan wasn't hot before the oil went in.
Tofu bland under the sauce? Same cause. Wet tofu won't brown, and the water it gives off dilutes the glaze.
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