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A bubbling pot of doenjang jjigae with tofu, zucchini, and potato

Doenjang Jjigae Recipe

A doenjang jjigae recipe with an honest answer to the first question everyone asks: no, doenjang and miso aren't the same, and here's what changes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp doenjang, Korean fermented soybean paste
  • 500 ml / 2 cups anchovy-kelp stock
  • 1 small zucchini (about 150 g / 1 cup), sliced into half-moons
  • 1/2 medium onion (about 70 g), sliced
  • 1 small potato (about 120 g), peeled and cubed
  • 150 g / 5 oz firm tofu, cubed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 green chili or jalapeño, sliced (optional)
  • 1 scallion, sliced
  • 1 tsp gochugaru, optional, for color and a light background heat
  • 100 g / 3 1/2 oz pork belly or clams, optional

Method
 

  1. If using pork, brown it in a dry pot over medium heat for 2 minutes before adding anything else. If using clams or going meatless, skip straight to the next step.
  2. Add the stock to the pot and bring to a simmer.
  3. Scoop the doenjang into a small ladle or fine sieve, lower it into the simmering stock, and stir with a spoon to dissolve it against the mesh. This keeps lumps of undissolved paste out of the final stew.
  4. Add the potato first and simmer 4 minutes, since it takes the longest to cook through.
  5. Add the onion and zucchini, and the clams here if using. Simmer another 4 minutes.
  6. Add the tofu, garlic, gochugaru if using, and sliced chili. Simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes — a hard rolling boil at this stage makes the broth taste flatter and slightly bitter, so keep it at a low, steady bubble.
  7. Taste and adjust. Doenjang brands vary widely in saltiness, so add more paste or a splash of stock rather than following the measurement blindly.
  8. Scatter the scallion over the top and serve immediately, straight from the pot, with a bowl of rice on the side.