Savory Vegetable Doenjang Jjigae
Quick and Easy Doenjang Jjigae Using Fridge Ingredients
A hearty and flavorful doenjang jjigae (Korean soybean paste stew) packed with vegetables you have on hand. This recipe is perfect for a quick, comforting meal that will have you reaching for extra rice!
Main Ingredients- 1 medium potato
- 50g onion
- 70g zucchini
- 1 green chili pepper (e.g., Cheongyang pepper)
- 1/2 block firm tofu
Broth & Seasoning- 1 ladle anchovy-kelp broth (approx. 200ml)
- 1 Tbsp store-bought doenjang (soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp homemade doenjang (soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 ladle anchovy-kelp broth (approx. 200ml)
- 1 Tbsp store-bought doenjang (soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp homemade doenjang (soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables for your doenjang jjigae. Peel the potato and onion if desired, and wash the zucchini. Cut all vegetables into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1.5 cm cubes. Finely chop the green chili pepper. If using a firm potato, you might want to cut it slightly smaller or add it to the pot a little earlier, as it takes longer to cook than the other vegetables.
Step 2
Arrange the prepared potato, onion, zucchini, and green chili pepper in a pot. Pour in about 1 ladle (approximately 200ml) of savory anchovy-kelp broth, enough to cover the vegetables. If you don’t have broth, water or rice water can also be used.
Step 3
For a richer flavor, combine 1 tablespoon of store-bought doenjang with 1 tablespoon of homemade doenjang. Dissolve the doenjang well in the broth within the pot, ensuring there are no lumps. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes to cook the vegetables until they are tender.
Step 4
Once the doenjang jjigae is simmering and the vegetables are partially cooked, it’s time to add the tofu. Cut the tofu into thick cubes (about 1 to 1.5 cm) and gently place them into the pot. Stir in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic at this stage to enhance the stew’s aroma and taste.
Step 5
After adding the tofu, bring the stew back to a gentle boil over high heat. Be careful not to break up the tofu as it cooks. Simmer for just another 2-3 minutes, or ‘one more boil’ (han-sokkeum), until the tofu is heated through. Your delicious vegetable doenjang jjigae is now ready to be enjoyed with a steaming bowl of rice!
