Doenjang Jjigae

Ingredients

Stock

• 800 mlwater
• 1 piecedried kelp, about 10 cm
• 10dried anchovies, heads and guts removed
• or 800 ml plain water, for a vegetarian version

Base

• 3 tablespoonsdoenjang, Korean soybean paste
• 1 teaspoongochujang, optional
• 1 teaspoongochugaru, Korean chilli flakes
• 3garlic cloves, minced

Vegetables and protein

• 1courgette, in half moons
• 1potato, in small cubes
• 1onion, sliced
• 300 gsoft or firm tofu, in cubes
• 200 gclams, scrubbed, optional
• 1green chilli, sliced
• 1red chilli, sliced
• 2spring onions, cut into lengths

To serve

• steamed rice
• kimchi and other banchan

Directions

1. Pull out the dark guts with your fingers. Put the anchovies and kelp in cold water. Bring it slowly toward a simmer. Take the kelp out just before it boils. Simmer the anchovies for ten more minutes.
2. Strain the stock and discard the solids. Dissolving the doenjang needs a little care. Put it in a small bowl or a ladle. Add a few spoonfuls of the hot stock. Work it into a smooth slurry with a spoon. Bring the stock and doenjang to a simmer.
3. Add the gochujang and gochugaru if using them. Add the minced garlic to the pot. Taste the broth now before anything else. It should be salty and deeply savoury.
4. Adjust the doenjang until it tastes right. Adding the vegetables is done in order. Add the potato first and give it eight minutes. It takes the longest to soften.
5. Add the onion and give it three minutes. Add the courgette and give it three more. Courgette should stay slightly firm.
6. Add them to the simmering pot. They open within three or four minutes. Discard any that stay shut after cooking. Cut the tofu into large cubes. Do not stir hard after this point.
7. Simmer for three minutes to heat it through. Add the sliced chillies and spring onion. Give them just one minute only. Set the pot in the middle of the table. It keeps two days refrigerated and reheats well.

Technique

• Doenjang is made from fermented soybean blocks called meju and is traditionally the solid left behind when soy sauce is drawn off.
• That process gives it a coarser texture and a stronger flavour than Japanese miso.

Substitutions

• Japanese miso can be used at a pinch, using slightly more, though it is sweeter and milder.
• Dried shiitake stock replaces anchovy stock for a vegetarian version.

Variations

• Some households add beef or pork belly at the start.
• A version with only vegetables and tofu is common in temple cooking.
• Cheonggukjang jjigae uses a much more strongly fermented paste and has a far stronger smell.

Frequently asked questions

What is Doenjang Jjigae?

Doenjang Jjigae is a soup & stew from South Korea: fermented soybean-paste stew with tofu, zucchini and clams.

How long does Doenjang Jjigae take to make?

Doenjang Jjigae takes 15 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Doenjang Jjigae?

Yes, within limits. Japanese miso can be used at a pinch, using slightly more, though it is sweeter and milder. Dried shiitake stock replaces anchovy stock for a vegetarian version.

What is the most important thing to get right in Doenjang Jjigae?

Add them to the simmering pot. They open within three or four minutes. Discard any that stay shut after cooking. Cut the tofu into large cubes. Do not stir hard after this point.