Savory Gang Doenjang (Thick Soybean Paste Stew)
A rice-thief gang doenjang simmered down until thick, made with finely diced vegetables and tofu in an anchovy broth.
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 →
Even without meat, diced potatoes, Korean zucchini, and tofu simmered in a rich anchovy broth deliver deep savory flavor. Cooked down until thick, it is perfect for mixing with rice or wrapping in steamed pumpkin leaves.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Squash1/3
- Tofu200 g
- Potato2 (small)
- Large green onion (daepa)1/2 stalk
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Red chili pepper1
- Water from washing rice3 cups
- Dried soup anchovies15
Seasoning
- Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)4 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- You can prepare a little bit of various ingredients for gang doenjang; along with Korean zucchini, potatoes, tofu, large green onion, and chilies, mushrooms, eggplant, or onion also work well.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
You can prepare a little bit of various ingredients for gang doenjang.
I prepared Korean zucchini, potatoes, tofu, large green onion, and chilies. Mushrooms, eggplant, or onion are also great.
Chop the ingredients
Cut the potatoes, Korean zucchini, and tofu into small dice so they are easy to scoop with a spoon, and finely chop the chilies and large green onion.
Make the broth
Add 15 dried soup anchovies to 3 cups of water from washing rice and simmer until it reduces to about 2 cups of rich broth.
Simmer
Scoop out the anchovies, then add the potatoes, squash, 4 tbsp of doenjang (Korean soybean paste), and 1 tbsp of gochujang (Korean red chili paste), bringing it to a bubbling boil to cook.
I used half homemade doenjang and half store-bought doenjang, but if you are using only homemade doenjang, reduce the amount slightly since it is saltier.
Once the firm potatoes and squash cook until soft, add the tofu, large green onion, Cheongyang chili peppers, red chili pepper, 1 tbsp of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 1 tbsp of minced garlic, 1 tbsp of mirin (cooking rice wine), and 1 tbsp of corn syrup (mulyeot), then simmer until all the ingredients are fully cooked and the broth becomes thick.
Finish
Making gang doenjang is no trouble at all.
The ingredients cook up so tender that they melt in your mouth.
Making a rich anchovy broth with water from washing rice brings wonderful umami, and when mixed with rice, you will not want to put your spoon down.
Be sure to enjoy gang doenjang as a wrap with steamed pumpkin leaves.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you are using only homemade doenjang, reduce the amount slightly since it is saltier.
FAQ
Is it okay to make this using only homemade doenjang?
If you use only homemade doenjang, it has a higher salt content than store-bought doenjang, so it is best to reduce the amount slightly.
Can I add other ingredients besides the basic vegetables?
Depending on your preference, adding diced mushrooms, eggplant, or onion also works very well.
Can I use plain water instead of water from washing rice to make the broth? AI-generated
You can certainly use plain water or store-bought kelp broth, but using water from washing rice adds an even deeper savory flavor and richness to the stew.
