Hearty Mushroom Gochujang Stew
Savory Gochujang Stew with Assorted Mushrooms and Fresh Vegetables
A comforting and delicious Gochujang stew, packed with tofu, zucchini, and a variety of mushrooms. Perfect for warming up on chilly, overcast days, this stew’s rich and deep flavor will have you finishing your rice in no time.
Stew Ingredients- 1 block (approx. 300g) firm tofu
- 1/2 medium zucchini
- 2 king oyster mushrooms
- 1 handful (approx. 50g) oyster mushrooms
- 1 pack (approx. 100g) enoki mushrooms
- 2 shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cheongyang pepper (Korean chili pepper)
- 1L water (4 cups)
- 1 seafood and kelp stock pack
Gochujang Stew Seasoning- 1.5 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1.5 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 0.5 Tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- A pinch of ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
In a deep pot, pour 1 liter (4 cups) of water and add 1 seafood and kelp stock pack. Bring to a boil over high heat. Using a stock pack will significantly deepen the stew’s umami flavor. Once the water boils, remove the stock pack.
Step 2
Cut the tofu into 1.5cm thick pieces. Slice the king oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5cm thick). Trim the base of the oyster mushrooms and tear them into bite-sized pieces by hand. Slice the zucchini into 0.5cm thick half-moons. Thinly slice the cheongyang pepper diagonally. Prepping the ingredients like this makes the cooking process much smoother.
Step 3
Once the prepared broth is boiling, dissolve 1.5 Tbsp of gochujang, 0.5 Tbsp of doenjang, and 1 Tbsp of minced garlic into the broth. Make sure to dissolve them completely to ensure a clean broth flavor. Reduce heat to medium and stir to combine the seasonings, then let it simmer.
Step 4
When the broth returns to a boil, add the sliced king oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms first. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow their flavors to infuse into the broth.
Step 5
Next, add the torn oyster mushrooms and cook them together. Oyster mushrooms cook quickly, so adding them with other vegetables ensures a pleasant texture.
Step 6
Now, add the sliced zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the zucchini begins to turn translucent. Slightly softened zucchini offers a tender bite.
Step 7
Finally, add the tofu and enoki mushrooms to the pot. Stir gently to prevent the tofu from breaking apart. Enoki mushrooms cook very quickly, so simmer for just 1-2 minutes.
Step 8
Taste the broth and add a pinch of ground black pepper to enhance the aroma as desired. If you prefer a spicier stew, feel free to add a bit more gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) at this stage.
Step 9
Add the cheongyang pepper for a spicy and refreshing kick, and let the stew simmer for another moment. The cheongyang pepper makes the broth taste even cleaner.
Step 10
Finally, taste the stew and add a little salt if needed to adjust the seasoning. All the ingredients are now harmoniously combined, creating a delicious mushroom Gochujang stew. Enjoy it piping hot with rice!