Sweet and Savory Black Soybean Side Dish (Kongjaban)
How to Make Tender and Delicious Black Soybean Side Dish (Kongjaban) with Seoritae Beans
Experience the delightful chewy texture, the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, and the nutty aroma of toasted sesame seeds! Seoritae bean kongjaban is a side dish that gets more appealing with every bite. If you soak the beans properly, you can achieve a wonderfully tender result, not a hard one. It’s the ultimate side for rice! Let’s make this protein-rich, delicious kongjaban with healthy seoritae beans together.
Main Ingredients- 2 cups Seoritae beans (approx. 360g)
- 4 cups Water (approx. 800ml)
- 1 piece Dried kelp (10cm x 10cm)
Braising Sauce- 4 Tbsp Soy sauce (60ml)
- 3 Tbsp Sugar (30g)
- 3 Tbsp Oligosaccharide (rice syrup) (30ml)
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (cooking sake) (15ml)
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil (15ml)
- 1 Tbsp Toasted sesame seeds (10g)
- 4 Tbsp Soy sauce (60ml)
- 3 Tbsp Sugar (30g)
- 3 Tbsp Oligosaccharide (rice syrup) (30ml)
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (cooking sake) (15ml)
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil (15ml)
- 1 Tbsp Toasted sesame seeds (10g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 2 cups of Seoritae beans, the main ingredient. Visually inspect the beans for cleanliness and rinse them thoroughly under running water two to three times. This step removes any dust or debris from the bean skins.
Step 2
To the 2 cups of rinsed Seoritae beans, add 4 cups of cool water. Now it’s time to soak the beans until they are tender. It’s best to soak them for at least 5 hours, or even overnight. Check to ensure the beans have plumped up and become nice and full. (During summer, it’s recommended to soak the beans in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.)
Step 3
Transfer the sufficiently soaked beans and their soaking water into a pot. Add one piece of 10cm dried kelp and bring it to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, quickly remove the kelp to prevent a fishy taste from the beans, and reduce the heat. Cook the beans for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender. You can test for doneness by piercing a bean with a chopstick; it should go through easily.
Step 4
Once the beans are tender, it’s time to add the braising sauce. Pour in 4 tablespoons of soy sauce into the pot and simmer over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally is important to ensure the soy sauce is evenly absorbed by the beans.
Step 5
After the soy sauce has penetrated the beans somewhat, add 3 tablespoons of sugar for sweetness and 1 tablespoon of mirin for enhanced flavor. Stir well again to dissolve the sugar evenly into the beans as they continue to cook.
Step 6
Now, let the sauce reduce until it’s slightly syrupy. Once the sugar has dissolved and the soy sauce mixture has thickened and coated the beans, add 3 tablespoons of oligosaccharide (rice syrup) for a glossy finish. Continue to simmer briefly until a beautiful sheen develops on the kongjaban. Be careful not to overcook, as this can make the beans hard.
Step 7
Finally, just before turning off the heat, sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds for a nutty aroma, and mix gently. Your delicious Seoritae bean kongjaban is complete! Let it cool slightly, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to enjoy for days to come.
