Savory Fermented Soybean Paste and Perilla Leaf Steamed Dish
#Steamed Perilla Leaves with Rich Fermented Soybean Paste Sauce #A Healthy and Delicious Recipe for Steamed Perilla Leaves Using Natural Seasonings and Doenjang
A steamed perilla leaf dish featuring a deep, savory fermented soybean paste (doenjang) sauce enhanced with natural seasonings for a rich umami flavor. When you spread this special sauce, made by blending anchovies and doenjang, onto perilla leaves and steam them, you get an irresistible side dish for rice. It’s also perfect as a lunchbox item and surprisingly simple to make, making it a must-try rice thief!
Ingredients- 1/2 Green Onion
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Minced Ginger
- 1 Tbsp Natural Seasoning (or Anchovy-Kelp Broth)
- 3 Tbsp Doenjang (Fermented Soybean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Honey (or Corn Syrup)
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Cheongju (Rice Wine) or Mirin
- 1 cup Water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, finely chop the green onion.
Step 2
Let’s make a rich doenjang sauce! In a bowl, add 3 tablespoons of doenjang. Then, add 1 tablespoon of natural seasoning. This combination creates a secret sauce that not only has the savory depth of doenjang but also a significantly enhanced umami flavor. (If you don’t have natural seasoning, you can use broth made from anchovies and kelp.)
Step 3
Next, add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of minced ginger for a fragrant aroma.
Step 4
If you’d like a touch of spiciness or the sweetness of onion, you can add a little chopped onion. (Onions are not in the original recipe but can be added to enhance the flavor. If using onion, add it at this stage.)
Step 5
Add 1 tablespoon of gochugaru to give the doenjang sauce a bit of heat. Since doenjang is already salty enough, we’ll skip the gochujang. Also, add 1 tablespoon of cheongju or mirin to cleanly remove any gamey odors from the ingredients.
Step 6
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of honey for a subtle sweetness. (This can be substituted with sugar or corn syrup.) Now, stir everything well to combine all the sauce ingredients, creating a delicious doenjang sauce.
Step 7
If the doenjang sauce feels too thick, gradually add about 1 cup of water while stirring to reach your desired consistency. Now that the delicious doenjang sauce is ready, it’s time to spread it onto the perilla leaves.
Step 8
Carefully separate the fresh perilla leaves one by one. Spread the prepared doenjang sauce evenly on both sides of each leaf. Be mindful not to use too much sauce on each leaf, as you might run out later. Distribute the sauce appropriately and spread it thoroughly.
Step 9
Layer the sauce-coated perilla leaves on top of each other. Now, all that’s left is to steam them to perfection! Fill a steamer with plenty of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, carefully place the sauced perilla leaves onto the steamer, cover with a lid, and steam for about 5 minutes. Steam until the perilla leaves are tender and the sauce has well penetrated.
Step 10
If you added onion, the natural sweetness from the onion will make the steamed perilla leaves even more moist. Remove the steamed perilla leaves from the steamer and let them cool slightly. Once fully cooled, refrigerate them to enjoy them cold.
Step 11
Store the cooled perilla leaf doenjang jjim in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However, enjoying the freshly steamed perilla leaf doenjang jjim while it’s still warm is also a delightful experience. Place it on top of hot rice for a savory and flavorful, unique perilla leaf dish.
Step 12
Here’s your completed perilla leaf doenjang jjim! The combination of savory doenjang and natural seasoning creates a salty yet subtly spicy and delicious dish. Enjoy this wonderful rice accompaniment that your whole family will love!
