Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Broth Base
- 800 ml water
- 15 g dried anchovies, gutted
- 10 g dried kelp, wiped clean
Stew Components
- 60 g doenjang, paste
- 10 g garlic, minced
- 100 g yellow onion, diced into 1.5cm pieces
- 100 g potato, peeled and diced into 1.5cm pieces
- 150 g courgette, diced into 1.5cm pieces
- 300 g medium-firm tofu, diced into 2cm cubes
- 20 g green onion, thinly sliced
- 5 g gochugaru
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine water, dried kelp, and dried anchovies in a medium pot. Bring to a boil at 100°C/212°F over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the broth for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the anchovies and kelp using a fine mesh strainer or slotted spoon to leave a clear broth.
Stir the doenjang and minced garlic into the clear broth until the paste is fully dissolved and no lumps remain.
Add the diced potato and onion to the pot. Increase heat to bring the stew back to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F.
Reduce the heat slightly. Add the diced courgette and simmer for 10 minutes until the potato is tender.
Gently fold in the cubed tofu and simmer for an additional 3 minutes to heat through without breaking the cubes.
Top the stew with chopped green onions and gochugaru. Remove from heat.
Serve immediately while bubbling hot, traditionally ladled over steamed short-grain white rice.
Chef's Notes
- To elevate the texture of your broth, try using rice water. When washing short-grain rice to serve alongside the stew, discard the water from the first rinse, but save the cloudy water from the second and third rinses to use as your broth base.
- Doenjang is quite robust, unlike Japanese miso, which loses its delicate aromatics if boiled. Boiling doenjang alongside hard vegetables like potatoes actually helps deepen the stew's savory flavor profile.
- For extra umami, consider adding a small handful of sliced mushrooms (enoki or shiitake) during the final 5 minutes of simmering.
- If you desire a spicier kick without altering the stew's traditional flavor, slice a fresh green chili (like jalapeño or Korean cheongyang pepper) and add it alongside the courgette.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavor often deepens and improves by the second day.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until bubbling.
