Dubu Gang Doenjang (Thick Soybean Paste with Tofu)
A rich, thick soybean paste stew simmered with tofu and zucchini in a broth made from toasted anchovies and rice water, perfect for wraps.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This gang doenjang achieves deep savory flavor with rice water and toasted dried anchovies that have been cleaned and finely ground. Packed generously with tofu and zucchini for a tender texture, it pairs wonderfully with ssambap (rice wraps) or bibimbap.
- Servings
- 7–8 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Tofu1 block, 400 g
- Round Korean zucchini (or 1 Korean zucchini (aehobak))1/2, 300 g
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalks
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)4
- Red chili pepper2
- Dried soup anchovies20
- Water from washing rice4 cups
Seasoning
- Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)8 tbsp (4 homemade doenjang + 4 store-bought doenjang)
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Ground black peppera little
- Instead of round Korean zucchini, you can use 1 Korean zucchini (aehobak), or add potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and more.
- You can also substitute pork or seafood for the tofu.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Since this is dubu gang doenjang, I prepared plenty of tofu. It is 1 pack of 400 g.
Lots of zucchini, too. It is 1/2 of a round Korean zucchini, but you can prepare 1 Korean zucchini (aehobak) instead. 1/2 stalk of large green onion (daepa), 4 Cheongyang chili peppers, and 2 red chili peppers.
Besides the ingredients I prepared, you can also use potatoes, onions, mushrooms, or other vegetables.
For rich savory flavor in the broth, I prepared about 20 dried soup anchovies. You also need 4 cups of water from washing rice.
I also prepared pumpkin leaves to eat as wraps.
Chop the ingredients
Cut the tofu into small cubes so it is easy to wrap and eat.
Cut the zucchini into pieces similar in size to the tofu, and finely slice the green onion, red chili peppers, and Cheongyang chili peppers.
Clean the anchovies
Remove the heads and gut the anchovies, then pulse them finely in a food processor.
Doing this lets you leave them right in the stew as it simmers without needing to fish them out later.
Make the anchovy broth
Toast them in a dry pan without any oil until lightly golden, being careful not to let them burn.
This gets rid of any fishy smell and brings out their nutty aroma.
Pour in 4 cups of water from washing rice...
Skim off the foam that rises as it comes to a rolling boil.
Boil for at least 3 minutes so the delicious savory flavor of the anchovies infuses into the liquid.
When making gochu jangmul (chili anchovy sauce), toasting the anchovies first, adding water, and boiling also yields an intensely savory broth while letting you consume the anchovies entirely.
Simmer the gang doenjang
Add the diced zucchini, 8 tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste), and 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste), then bring to a lively boil so the doenjang and gochujang dissolve smoothly.
I used half store-bought doenjang and half homemade doenjang.
If you are using only homemade doenjang, which is saltier, you should reduce the amount by about 1 to 2 tbsp.
Add the tofu, 2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 2 tbsp minced garlic, and 2 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), then simmer until the ingredients are fully cooked and the flavors meld together.
Add the green onion, chili peppers, 2 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), and a little ground black pepper, then simmer until all the vegetables are tender, and it is done.
The corn syrup added at the end mellows out the sharp saltiness of the gang doenjang.
Trim and steam the pumpkin leaves
Snap the pumpkin leaf stem and pull downward; the stringy fibers will peel away all the way toward the leaf.
Repeat until no more tough fibers peel off, and the leaves will become much more tender.
Soak the prepped pumpkin leaves in water with a splash of vinegar for about 5 minutes so any dirt loosens.
Rinse each leaf thoroughly, front and back, under running water.
Place in a steamer with steam rising, cover with a lid, and steam for about 5 minutes to finish tender, nutty steamed pumpkin leaves with great texture.
Serve
This alone mixed into warm rice tastes absolutely heavenly.
It also pairs wonderfully with steamed cabbage wraps or fresh lettuce wraps.
You can also make this with pork or seafood instead of tofu.
I made a large batch to share with several people, and it was so gratifying to hear everyone rave about it.
If you are cooking for 2 to 3 people, just reduce the ingredient amounts to 1/3.
Tender, nutty pumpkin leaves paired with this gang doenjang, packed with deep savory goodness from the anchovies, are a match made in heaven.
Wrap a bite, put it in your mouth, and that nutty, savory depth lingers endlessly before you swallow.
Aside from the incredible taste, it is truly healthy comfort food.
Even if you eat until full, it digests easily.
Since it contains no meat or seafood, it keeps well for longer and tastes great straight from the fridge.
If you reduce the liquid down further, it works even better for ssambap.
Enjoy this often while zucchini and pumpkin leaves are at their seasonal peak.
Ppunwife's tips
- Remove the heads and gut the anchovies, then pulse them finely in a food processor; this way you can enjoy them in the stew without needing to strain them out.
- Toasting the anchovies in a dry pan until lightly golden without burning removes fishiness and coaxes out their rich, nutty aroma.
- If using only homemade doenjang, which has a higher salt content, reduce the amount by about 1 to 2 tbsp.
- Adding corn syrup at the very end rounds out the harsh, salty bite of the gang doenjang.
FAQ
Can I make this using only homemade doenjang?
Homemade doenjang is saltier than store-bought varieties, so if you use only homemade doenjang, it is best to reduce the amount by 1 to 2 tbsp to balance the seasoning.
Do I need to remove the anchovies after making the broth?
Because the anchovies are cleaned, finely ground in a food processor, and toasted before simmering, you can leave them in and eat them as part of the dish.
How do you prep and steam pumpkin leaves?
Peel the tough fibers from the stems, soak the leaves in vinegar water for 5 minutes, rinse thoroughly, and steam covered in a hot steamer for 5 minutes.
How do I adjust the recipe for just 2 to 3 servings?
Simply reduce all the ingredient amounts listed in the recipe down to 1/3.
