A hearty and flavorful soybean paste stew packed with beef broth and fresh vegetables are definitely a must for soup lovers! So nourishing and soothing and all you need a bowl of rice to compliment this dish!! Just like the way your mom used to make it for you!!
how was doengjang viewed at our house?
I literally grew up eating Doengjang Jjigae on a weekly base. It was a stable dish at our place, maybe more so since My dad was a big time fan of doenjang. My mom never bought the premeade doengjang paste from the market though. She always found a granny who made homemade doengjang paste from home, like the way my grandmother used to make. A hearty bowl of Doenjang Jjigae seemed to always bring comfort for my parents after a long day of working at their shop.
how is doenjang symbolic to me?
Unlike my parents, I grew up in the States and majority of my family and friends are here. But what remains the same is that a bowl of Doenjang jjigae does bring me memories of my childhood and reminds me of my roots. I once was embarrassed to tell my friends that I ate fermented paste soup. But now, I am so proud and glad that I can make Doenjang Jjigae myself and pass this tradition to my children as well. I love doenjang and that’s how I roll now!!
does doenjang ever go bad?
So homemade version and store bought version is very different. The homemade version is much pungent, has more texture and very long lasting. All you have to do is place some coarse sea salt on the top layer and the paste can go for over a year in the fridge without preservatives!! I think because they have been fermented already, the probiotics just keeps them fresh! But for store bought doenjjang, they most likely have preservatives and expiration date.
where can you get fresh doenjang from?
You can check places like Korean Church bazaar/fundraising event where the ladies make doenjjang from home and sell them for affordable price. Another place to check is a Rice Cake Stores. Again, taste and texture will vary.
can i use any kind of beef stock for this stew??
I highly recommend purchasing the beef broth from the Korean market. It’s is very mild tasting and low in sodium as well. They are called bone broth, beef broth, and typically come in 16-24oz pouch. Some may require dilution, so be sure to read the label carefully. They are made specifically for Korean soups and stews. I would not recommend the beef stock from regular grocery stores since the aromatics used in those stocks are much different, hence may not complement with doengjjang paste.
Beef Soybean Paste Stew
Ingredients
- 3 cups beef stock Korean beef stock, premade or homemade
- ½ small onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 3 whole dehydrated shiitake mushroom sliced
- ½ small zucchini chopped
- 1 cup napa cabbage chopped
- 3-4 sliced beef ribeye, thinly sliced cut
- 9-10 oz medium firm tofu diced
- 1 Korean green pepper chopped
- 1 stalk scallion chopped
- 2 Tbsp Doeng jjang paste
- 1½ tsp Gochugaru Korean red hot chili powder, coarse
- 1 Tbsp Gukganjang Korean Soup Soy Sauce
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Hydrate shiitake mushroom in 2 cups of cold water for 2-3 hours prior to cooking, or until soft and tender. Drain and slice, set aside.
- Bring beef stock to boil. Add onion, garlic, mushroom and doeng jjang and bring to boil. Boil for 5-6min.
- Add tofu, zucchini, beef, Gochugaru and boil for 5 more min.
- Add pepper, scallion, soy sauce, black pepper and salt to taste. Cook for 1min and turn off heat. Serve hot and pair with sticky rice.
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