doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew)

Doenjang jjiage. Classic, staple Korean dish. This savory, hearty stew would fall under the same category as dishes such as bulgogi and bibimbap—if anyone in your Korean-speaking household cooked—you definitely ate this growing up.

The base of the stew is a fermented soybean paste, doenjang. I’ve read doenjang being compared to miso—nope, not really.

If I had to contrast the two, I would describe it as such: miso (yes I’m aware there are many different types), broadly speaking, would be a very elegant tomato water with underlying sweet notes (basil, other herbs, etc.). Doenjang on the other hand, would be the savory, hearty bolognese sauce that you can smell and almost taste several feet away. A very different ingredient.

To take it a step further, if doenjang jjigae were described as flashes of daily life it would be: seeing a pretty lady in high heels, sitting on the sidewalk or stoop at 2am because she can’t walk another step, tasting a cigarette after a spicy meal, or smelling the warm vanilla undertone in a woman’s perfume. It’s very REAL and on the surface may come come across as unpolished and/or mundane, but experiencing it—with the senses, is actually quite good, and quite wonderful.

In my version I’ve included some non-traditional ingredients (bacon! shallots! leeks!). I hope you try it and enjoy!

Ingredients:

For three servings

• 4 cups of water

• 4 to 4 ½ tablespoons of doenjang paste. (4 ½ will take you to the razor edge of salt maximum)

• 1 ½ cup of Korean radish, sliced into 1 ½ “ pieces and 1/3” thick

• 1 cup of yellow or green zucchini, cut into 1/2“ thick semi-circles

• 1/2 cup of sliced shallots

• 1/3 cup of sliced leeks (the white and light green part)

• 1/3 cup of thick-cut bacon, chopped

• 1/3 cup of beef (I used brisket chunk), chopped

• 1/2 a block of tofu, cut into 10 equal pieces

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon of dasida (powdered beef stock)

• 1/2 teaspoon of finely ground gochugaru

• 1 bunch of enoki mushrooms (optional). About 1” diameter bunch per serving.

Doenjang paste: it’s typically packaged in a container that matches its color—a rich shade of tan. I love this color—if I’m invited somewhere fancy—this is the color dress I’m wearing. Doenjang fancy.

An up-close image of dasida (powdered beef stock)

Korean radish

Directions:

• In a pot on medium high heat, add the bacon, shallots and leeks.

• Cook/stir for 2-3 minutes

• Next, add the minced garlic and beef. Cook/stir for an additional 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

• Add the water, deonjang paste, dasida and gochugaru to the pot. Dissolve the doenjang paste with a wooden spoon—this will take a minute or two.

• Once the paste is dissolved and the stew begins to boil, add the Korean radish. Cook, covered, for 14-15 minutes.

• Next, add the zucchini and the tofu. Cook, covered, for an additional 7-8 minutes.

• If topping with an enoki mushroom garnish (as pictured below), make sure to wash and cut off the ends, about an inch. Add to the pot in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.

• Garnish with scallion, chili peppers or leave plain. Serve with white rice (an absolute must) and banchan. Enjoy!

Serve with white rice (a must!) to soak up all of the savory goodness.