Sweet and Savory Aehobak Jjigae (Zucchini Stew)
A hearty zucchini stew deeply seasoned with salted fermented shrimp and rich dried soup anchovies.
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 stew brings out a clean, savory depth from salted fermented shrimp and toasted anchovies, simmered thoroughly with thickly cut zucchini. The zucchini releases its own moisture to create a naturally sweet broth, finished off with perilla oil right after turning off the heat for an aromatic touch. It is a light, comforting stew that is wonderful spooned over warm rice.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Korean zucchini (aehobak)2, 700 g
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalk
- Spicy red chili pepper (or cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili))1
- Dried soup anchovies20
- Water2 1/2 cups
Seasoning
- Salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot)1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Salta little
- Ground black peppera little
- Perilla oil2 tbsp
- Instead of making a separate broth, I removed the heads and guts from 20 dried soup anchovies so they can be eaten right along with the stew.
- Adding tofu to boost the protein would make this a complete soup dish.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
The Korean zucchini are heavy and firm inside, so they weigh quite a bit. I prepared 2 of them.
Instead of making a separate broth, I removed the heads and guts from 20 dried soup anchovies so they can be eaten right along with the stew.
Here are the large green onion and spicy red chili pepper.
Cut the ingredients
To make it easy to scoop up by the spoonful, cut the Korean zucchini lengthwise into 4 pieces and then dice them thickly into chunks at least 2 cm thick.
Thinly slice the large green onion and red chili pepper.
Boil
First, add the anchovies to a pan and stir-fry them until a sweet, nutty aroma rises; this removes any fishy odor and keeps the broth clean.
Once the anchovies are fully toasted, add 2 1/2 cups of water and all of the zucchini.
Since zucchini releases a lot of moisture, pour in just enough water so the zucchini is barely submerged.
Turn the heat up to high.
Season
Once it begins to boil, add 1 tbsp salted fermented shrimp, 1 tbsp gochugaru, and 1 tbsp minced garlic, then cover with a lid and boil so the zucchini cooks tenderly and absorbs the seasoning.
Adjust any weak seasoning with salt.
When the zucchini is tender and fully cooked, add the large green onion, red chili pepper, and ground black pepper, cook briefly, turn off the heat, and finish by adding 2 tbsp perilla oil.
I added the perilla oil at the very end to enhance the aroma rather than stir-frying with it at the beginning.
Finish
This feels almost effortless to make, but spooned over warm rice while hot, it tastes heavenly.
Adding tofu to boost the protein would make this a complete soup dish.
I found it delicious even with just the zucchini alone.
Toward the end of summer, it seems zucchini is thriving everywhere.
Try simmering this bubbling Korean zucchini stew, an ingredient that is so kind in both flavor and price, and bring it to your dining table.
Ppunwife's tips
- First, add the anchovies to a pan and stir-fry them until a sweet, nutty aroma rises; this removes any fishy odor and keeps the broth clean.
- Since zucchini releases a lot of moisture, pour in just enough water so the zucchini is barely submerged.
- I added the perilla oil at the very end to enhance the aroma rather than stir-frying with it at the beginning.
FAQ
Do I need to boil anchovy broth in advance?
There is no need to make broth separately; simply toast the cleaned dried soup anchovies and simmer them together with the vegetables so you can eat them right along with the stew.
Why do you add just a shallow amount of water?
As it boils, the Korean zucchini releases plenty of moisture, so you only need to pour enough water to barely cover the ingredients.
When is the best time to add the perilla oil?
Rather than stir-frying with it from the start, drizzle it in after turning off the heat at the very end to keep its nutty aroma vibrant.
What works well if I want to add a protein ingredient?
Slicing in some tofu to your liking adds protein and complements the stew wonderfully.
