Dubu Jorim Tacos and Soju Margaritas

(plus a gochujang primer!)

Hi friends and a sunny Southern California welcome to new subscribers! Every Friday, you’ll receive bright and fresh California Cuisine recipes to inspire you, no matter where you live in the world. I’m so glad you’re here.

If you’d rather listen, the audio is posted above. And yes, that’s me reading, not a robot.

We’ve been on a month-long tacos and margarita quest. Have you made any of these tacos yet? Quesabirria, poke, chicken verde, and coconut shrimp were all tucked into tortillas and devoured at my house.

While we all love a classic margarita, this month’s cocktail recipes were so fun to shake up! Pineapple jalapeno, yuzu, fresh strawberry, and hibiscus brought fresh and fruity flavors to the original cocktail.

And I even made tacos and margs LIVE with recipe developer Rebecca Blackwell and so many of you! Thanks for joining us, commenting, and cooking along. If you missed it, you can still watch the replay.

Coming in June

Since temperatures are heating up, June is the perfect month to feature frozen sweet treats. But you know I’m going to do it SoCal style! Look forward to a month of dreamy ice creams, fruity sorbets, and cool-your-jets popsicles in some bright, fun flavors.

A little sneak peek from my recipe testing:

Also coming at the end of June are restaurant recommendations! I share some of my favorite, go-to eateries with friends, family, and strangers on the internet (lol!) who are looking for a restaurant rec from a local.

Just another day in SoCal.

Gochujang

For our last taco and margarita recipe of the month, I had to go back to my Korean roots! So, this is a very unconventional taco featuring tofu and rice paper.

Dubu jorim is spicy braised tofu. In Korean, dubu means tofu, and jorim means braised or simmered. The bean curd is sliced and cooked in a sauce flavored with gochugaru (Korean red pepper) or gochujang (fermented red pepper paste).

Gochujang has a spicy, sweet, salty, and funky flavor profile, so it is perfect in marinades, sauces, soups, stews, and stir-fries. Recently, I’ve even seen it used in sweets such as cakes, caramels, cheesecakes, and cookies.

The red pepper paste has really become popular over the last decade. It can be found in grocery stores in most towns and cities, especially those with a large Asian population. But that wasn’t always the case.

When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s, my mom had difficulty locating gochujang in local grocery stores where we lived. Only fellow Koreans knew what it was. Thankfully, my auntie took the time to make homemade gochujang, pack it in jars, and mail it to my mom. It was always a happy day when we got a box from my aunt!

Reminiscing over old photos.

Both my mom and auntie are old school when it comes to a lot of things, but especially when it comes to gochujang. They feel it should be made with only gochugaru (red pepper powder), barley malt, fermented soybean, rice, and salt, like this recipe from Korean Bapsang. Many mass-produced brands now add corn syrup, wheat flour, and yeast extract, and many aren’t even fermented. It helps to read the labels, especially if you have sensitivities to corn or wheat.

Since I grew up eating my auntie’s version, I thought gochujang only came in one heat level: hot. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I discovered those plastic red tubs of fermented pepper paste at the store have heat indexes printed on them ranging from medium to extra hot. So, that’s another thing to look for on the label. You can pick your spiciness tolerance.

Unlike yesteryear, there are so many brands available now. My local H-Mart has an entire section with rows and rows of choices. Some brands that I have tried and like include CJ Haechandle, O’Food, and Wang. And of course, you can find them on Amazon.

I have yet to attempt making my own, but it might be a good project for this winter!

Recipes

Dubu Jorim Tacos

Serves 2 to 3

Time: 20-ish minutes

Braised tofu tucked into a rice paper taco shell? Why not? Dubu jorim, or Korean spicy braised tofu, transforms into an East meets West taco! So easy and delish!

Notes:

• It’s important to use extra-firm tofu here. The other types just don’t hold their shape as well when sliced and simmered.

• These tacos are best if eaten right away. The shells are so delicate that they go soggy if filled in advance. I like to place everything on the table, let people assemble their taco, and eat them as they make them.

Rice Paper Shell Ingredients:

• 4 or 5 rice paper sheets

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil

Sauce Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp gochujang

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp granulated sugar

• 4 Tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tsp sesame seeds

• 1 cup water

Tofu Ingredients:

• 1 lb extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry

• Garnish: chopped green onions, toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Make the rice paper shells by cutting the sheets in halves or quarters. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully slip the rice paper into the oil and cook for 2 or 3 seconds. The paper will puff up and go from clear to opaque white. Remove immediately with tongs and place on a wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining rice paper. Set aside to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the gochujang and sesame oil to loosen up the red pepper paste. Once it is smooth, add the garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. Once incorporated, slowly add the water and stir to combine. Set aside.

3. Slice the tofu lengthwise down the middle, making two rectangles. Slice each rectangle into 10 thin slices. Pat dry again.

4. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the oil from the skillet, then place it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place half of the tofu slices into the skillet in a single layer. Don’t crowd the pan, tofu is like a teenager. It needs its space.

5. Cook for 4-ish minutes or until golden brown, then gently flip each slice over and cook the other side until golden. Remove to a wire rack or plate. Repeat with the second batch of tofu.

6. In the same skillet, pour the gochujang mixture and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and carefully add the tofu back to the pan. Allow to simmer for 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

7. Now it’s time to assemble the tacos! Depending on the size of your shells, you may need to cut the tofu in half to help it fit. Place some dubu jorim (braised tofu that you just made, go you!) in the rice paper shells, and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

A nice side dish is something fresh and crunchy like Quick Cucumber Kimchi.

Soju Margaritas

Makes 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

Fruity and fun, this cocktail is perfect with hot and spicy dishes! Soju is a Korean distilled spirit made from rice. It is similar to vodka and can be used as a base for many cocktails or enjoyed on its own.

Notes:

• Technically, a margarita isn’t a margarita without tequila, so here soju is added to the equation for a delicious variation. But! You have the option of ditching the tequila and using all soju. You’re an adult, so you can do what you want.

• Fruit-flavored soju has become very popular, and that’s what we are using today for this mash-up margarita. I like peach, but other popular soju flavors are green grape, apple, blueberry, lychee, plum, and strawberry.

• There are several soju brands available, depending on where you live. Jinro, Good Day, Chum Churum, and Soon Hari brands can be found in most Asian markets.

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt for rimming

• 1 oz tequila

• 1 oz soju, any flavor

• 1 oz lime juice

• 1 oz triple sec

Directions:

1. Prepare the glass by running a cut lime around the rim. Dip the moistened rim in coarse salt (I used pink Himalayan salt). Set aside to dry.

2. Tip the tequila, soju, lime juice, and triple sec into a cocktail shaker. Add 3 or 4 ice cubes. Cover with the lid, and shake for 20 seconds or until cold.

3. Add 3 or 4 ice cubes to the glass. Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass. Sip and enjoy.

Not ready for taco month to end? I have more taco recipes for you, including Korean Bulgogi Street Tacos and Crispy Black Bean and Quinoa Tacos (this one is behind a paywall, leave me a comment if you are interested and I will unlock it for you).

Tell Me

Did you have a favorite taco this month? And did anyone make the margaritas into mocktails? I’ve heard Ritual is a good zero-proof tequila alternative.

Remember, starting next week, it’s frozen treats to beat the heat! See you next Friday.