Dubu-kimchi — Braised Kimchi with Steamed Tofu (두부김치)

Pan-Korean anju (drinking food) culture; appeared in its current form in mid-20th century Seoul as makgeolli and soju anju culture developed the pairing conventions that define Korean drinking food

Dubu-kimchi (두부김치) is a canonical Korean pairing: aged kimchi (묵은지) stir-fried with pork belly, sesame oil, and ganjang until caramelised and rich, served alongside a block of freshly steamed tofu that has been sliced and arranged on the plate. The contrast is fundamental — hot, spicy, caramelised kimchi against the cool, silken neutrality of freshly steamed tofu. The tofu is never fried or seasoned; its entire job is to provide the plain, clean counterpoint that makes the assertive kimchi fully expressible. It is a drinking food (안주) as much as a side dish.

• The braised-fermented-vegetable-alongside-neutral-starch principle appears in many cuisines: German sauerkraut with boiled potato; French choucroute garnie — Korean distinction is the contrast temperature (hot vs warm) and the tofu's entirely unprocessed state

The natural pairing is makgeolli (rice wine) or soju. Served in a large flat plate with tofu arranged alongside the stir-fried kimchi. Eaten together in each bite: a piece of tofu plus a spoonful of kimchi — the balance is the dish.