Doenjang Guk - Fermented Soybean Paste Soup

Rich, flavorful, hearty soup perfect any time of year.

Doenjang Guk - Fermented Soybean Paste Soup

Serves 4-6

I make Doenjang Guk year round but when the weather cools down, it is the first soup I crave. Although I did not grow up Korean, like Jjangmyeon, Doenjang Guk is one of the recipes that instantly feels familiar. Occasionally I’ll add about 250g of bok choy leaves into the soup a minute or two before the scallions.

Click “here” to learn how to make rice water.

“Recipe Tips:

1. This doenjang guk can be made with 230g (.5 lb) pork belly sliced .25 in thick and into bite sized pieces. Over medium heat and using no oil saute the pork belly in your pot until lightly browned before step 1. In step 2, simmer for 25 minutes before moving on. Remove the dashima after the 25 minutes.

2: In the place of the fresh shitake mushrooms, 25g (about 5 medium) dried shitake mushrooms can be used. Rinse the mushrooms, place in a microwave safe bowl with 1 c water. Heat on high for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and allow to soak at least 1 hour. Slice mushrooms and use in the place of the fresh. Pour soaking liquid into a measuring cup and add rice water to equal 7 c liquid total.

3. If you do not plan on serving rice with your meal, you can substitute 1 T AP flour or rice flour whisked into the cold liquid, in the place of the rice water.”

Ingredients

Broth

1,400ml (7 c) rice water, broth or water

300g (1 large) onion, sliced with the grain and cut in half horizontally

100g (5 medium) fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced .25 in thick

5g (2 in piece) dashima

5g (1 t) ginger, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cheongyang or serrano chilis, sliced

Soup Seasoning

6 T doenjang

1 T gochujang

1 T fish sauce

1 T soup soy sauce

1 t sesame oil

.25 t pepper

Soup Fillings

270g (2 c) Korean squash, .25 in pieces

250g (1.5 c) potato, .25 inch dice

230g (.5 lb) medium or soft tofu, cubed - optional

Finishing

30g (about 2) scallions, sliced

2 t rice wine vinegar

Recipe Know-how

1.      Combine soup seasoning in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2.      In a medium pot add broth ingredients and bring to boil.

• Add soup seasoning.

Optionally, you can remove any remaining small chunks of soybean from the doenjang. To do this, place a fine mesh strainer into the broth (do not allow any of the vegetables to enter the strainer). Add the soup seasoning. Using a spoon mix the seasoning into the soup broth until there are only pieces of soybean left behind. Discard the soybeans and continue on.

• Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.

• Remove and discard dashima.

• Add potatoes. Simmer 7 minutes.

• Add squash. Simmer 7 minutes

• Add tofu if using. Simmer 3 minutes.

• Add scallions and vinegar. Simmer 2 minutes.

• Taste for seasoning adjusting, as necessary.

3.      Serve with rice and buchu kimchi.