A white and brown ceramic bowl on a white marble background. The bowl contains soup with garlic chives, kimchi, and cubed soft tofu. There is a small bowl of rice in the background, along with a pair of red chopsticks and a soup spoon in the foreground.

Mai

We are combining two of my favorite soups! One day, I was eating the classic Vietnamese garlic chive and tofu soup- Canh hẹ đậu phụ and although I love this soup the way it is, sometimes you’re just in the mood for more bolder flavors. I thought to myself- you know what would really kick this up a notch? Kimchi.

Of course the obvious connection to make is with kimchi jjigae, since this delicious Korean stew also contains soft tofu. And hence this fusion soup was born! We’re marrying my favorite elements of these soups to make something that is perfect for a cold fall/winter dinner. The Vietnamese elements from Canh hẹ đậu phụ: the ground pork, chives, bouillon, and fish sauce bring natural sweetness and deep umami. The Korean elements from Kimchi-jjigae: the kimchi, gochuchang, gochugaru, and sesame oil add a huge boost of flavor.

The chives and kimchi work beautifully together without one overwhelming the other. Watch out, this might become your new favorite soup.

A white and brown ceramic bowl on a white marble background. The bowl contains soup with garlic chives, kimchi, and cubed soft tofu.

INGREDIENTS FOR CANH HẸ ĐẬU PHỤ X KIMCHI-JJIGAE FUSION SOUP

Garlic chives – Hẹ: a member of the allium family- as the name suggests, garlic chives have a strong garlicky flavor unlike ‘regular’ chives, which taste more onion-like. You may find both the standard flat leafy variety (like the one we used in this recipe) and the flowering variety at your local Asian grocery store. The standard variety has a stronger flavor profile, but either will work for this recipe.
Kimchi: specifically napa cabbage kimchi, perhaps the most well-known Korean side dish and a staple in Korean cuisine. It is savory, umami, and spicy. For kimchi-jjigae, it’s recommended to use older, more sour kimchi.
Tofu – Đậu phụ/Đậu hũ: soft tofu (đậu hũ non) is the best type for this soup. It is delicate and has a much smoother mouthfeel than firm tofu, yet can be handled, cut, and will retain its shape unlike silken tofu.
Ground pork – Thịt heo xay/thịt heo băm
Shallot – Hành khô/Hành tím
Fish sauce – Nước mắm: arguably the most important seasoning sauce in Vietnamese cuisine. Made from fermented anchovies, it is salty and incredibly umami. Non-vegan Vietnamese recipes without fish sauce are very rare. The best nước mắm comes from Phú Quốc or surrounding islands off the coast- Southwest of mainland Vietnam. Our favorite brand available outside of Vietnam is Red Boat (U.S.).
Bouillon – Hạt nêm: think broth, but in solid form. Bouillon is an amazingly easy way to bring that umami flavor to your food. We use it instead of salt in many of our dishes. You can usually find chicken, pork, or mushroom bouillon. In Vietnam, Knorr is the most common brand. However, we have only been able to find Knorr in powder form in the US and France, not granules. Instead, we use Totole brand chicken or mushroom bouillon. The quantities on our website are based on the granule-type so if you use powder, adjust to your taste.
Ground black pepper – Tiêu đen xay
Dried chili pepper flakes – Gochugaru
Red chili paste – Gochujang
Sugar – Đường cát trắng
Toasted sesame oil – Chamgireum
Vegetable oil – Dầu thực vật

DIRECTIONS FOR CANH HẸ ĐẬU PHỤ X KIMCHI-JJIGAE FUSION SOUP

Mince half the amount of shallot and thinly slice other half.
Place the ground pork in a bowl along with the minced shallot, bouillon, ground black pepper, and fish sauce. Mix well to combine fully and set aside.
Wash, cut to remove tough white end of garlic chives, then cut into ~3-4cm lengths.
Drain, then gently cut soft tofu into ~1.5cm cubes.
Squeeze/spoon out kimchi juice from the kimchi. If using whole cabbage kimchi, cut into bite-sizes pieces.
Heat a large pot on medium.
Add oil along with sliced shallot and sweat until fragrant.
Add in the pork and sauté, breaking up the chunks until no longer pink.
Add in the kimchi and sauté briefly for a minute.
Add in water, kimchi juice, gochugaru, gochujang, sugar, sesame oil, bouillon, and fish sauce. Stir to combine.
Cover and let cook for 10 minutes.
Add in the tofu, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add in the garlic chives, mixing them in gently to not break the tofu, and let cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Season to taste with more fish sauce if needed and serve immediately with rice.

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