Classic Doenjang Jjigae Korean Soybean Paste Stew Food

DOENJANG JJIGAE (KOREAN SOYBEAN PASTE STEW)

Steps:

• Cut the tofu and zucchini into about 1-inch cubes. Cut the radish into thin small squares. Thinly slice the onion and pepper. Roughly chop the scallion. Slice the meat into thin strips.
• Preheat a small pot with a little bit of oil. Sauté the meat, soybean paste, and chili pepper flakes, over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the water (or anchovy broth) and stir well to dissolve the soy bean paste. Add the radish (if using a potato, add it in the next step). Boil over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the onion, garlic, tofu, zucchini, and chili pepper. Boil for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Throw in the scallion pieces and add the optional vinegar with a minute or two remaining.
• Serve with a bowl of rice while it is still bubbling from the heat.

CLASSIC DOENJANG JJIGAE (KOREAN SOYBEAN PASTE STEW)

Steps:

• To make the anchovy stock, combine rice starch water, dried anchovy, and sea kelp in a stone pot or heavy bottom pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Discard the anchovies and sea kelp.
• To make the stew, smear the pastes in a mini scoop strainer or slotted spoon and incorporate into the stock. Add the onion and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
• Add zucchini, tofu, and mushroom; continue to boil over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes.
• Add garlic, chili flakes, and fresh chili and heat through. Sprinkle green onion and remove from heat. Serve hot with rice.

DOENJANG JJIGAE (된장찌개 / FERMENTED-SOYBEAN STEW)

Steps:

• Put the dashi in a stockpot or other large pot set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the doenjang and cook for 10 minutes to bring out its natural sweetness. Add the gochujang and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the gochugaru, garlic, and soy sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Add the onions and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and simmer for 5 minutes. (Adding the vegetables at different times will ensure that they will all be fully cooked at the end.) Add the chili peppers, beef, and tofu and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more soy sauce if necessary.
• Remove the pot from the heat, add the scallions, put on the lid, and let the stew rest for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours, before serving. Serve with steamed rice and your favorite banchan, as any and all pair well with this stew.

DOENJANG-JJIGAE (FERMENTED SOYBEAN PASTE STEW)

Steps:

• Combine the potato, onion, zucchini, chili pepper, garlic, and shrimp in a 1½-quart (6 cups) earthenware pot or other heavy pot. Wrap the dried anchovies in cheesecloth (or a dashi bag, a pouch for stock-making sold at a Korean grocery store), and put them into the pot with other ingredients Add water and cover.
• Cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes until it starts boiling. If you use a stainless steel pot, it will take less than 15 minutes, about 7 to 8 minutes.
• Stir in the soybean paste, mixing well. Cover and cook for 20 minutes longer over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the anchovy pouch and discard.
• Sprinkle with the green onions and serve as a side dish to rice. Serve it directly from the pot, or transfer to a serving bowl. Everybody can eat together out of the pot, or portions can be ladled out in individual bowls for each person.

DOENJANG JJIGAE

Steps:

• To a medium pot, add the doenjang, garlic, onion, zucchini, radish, mushrooms, dasima, anchovies, soy sauce and 3 cups cold tap water, and season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to gently boil, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables start to soften and the broth tastes intensely savory and as salty as the sea, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with more doenjang or salt as desired; the stew should be assertively seasoned.
• Stir in the steak and continue gently boiling the jjigae, stirring once or twice, until the meat is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve with bowls of fresh white rice.