Doenjang jjigae
Doenjang jjigae 된장찌개 is the ultimate Korean comfort food. Every family has a different recipe which has been passed down from their mothers or grandmothers. Being Korean, my mom always told me I need to know how to make a good pot of doenjang jjigae. However, I don’t like my mom’s doenjang jjigae recipe. It’s not bad, but I always felt like there was something missing and I could never quite get it to taste as good as the Korean BBQ restaurants. So, while on my quest to find the perfect taste, I ran into a friend who worked at one of my favorite Korean bbq restaurants. He gave me the secret to the perfect doenjang jjigae and now I can share it with you guys!
The most shocking part of the recipe was NOT adding any GARLIC. I couldn’t believe it! Korean food without garlic? But, I went ahead and made the recipe as my friend suggested. I found the most important part of doenjang jjigae is the anchovy stock. Additionally, adding some Japanese miso adds smoothness and sweetness. You can use any Korean doenjang found in Korean markets, but make sure to add a little bit of miso. Oh, and don’t forget the Ddukbaegi (Korean earthenware pot)
. Doenjang jjigae just tastes better when made in a ddukbaegi. My husband was pretty blown away by this recipe, so I can’t wait to make it for my in-laws when they come to visit!
This recipe makes about 2 servings
Cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounce onion, diced
- 1 1/2 ounce potato, diced
- 1 1/2 ounce zucchini, diced
- 1 1/2 ounce thinly sliced beef, diced
- 1 ounce brown mushroom, diced
- 5 ounce med-firm tofu, cubed
- 1 Korean green chili pepper or jalapeño, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon Korean chili powder (fine)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Korean doenjang
- 1/2 tablespoon Japanese awase miso
- 2 cup anchovy stock (1 stick iriko dashi with 2 cups water)
Things You’ll Need
- medium 6 inch Ddukbaegi (Korean earthenware pot)
Cooking Instructions
- Prepare all of the vegetables, tofu, and beef.
- Bring water to a simmer and add beef and anchovy dashi granules. When it comes to a boil, add the doenjang, miso, and all of the other ingredients and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over med-high heat.
