Doenjang Jjigae 된장찌개

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The past few days we can really feel the days are getting shorter now. The mornings are darker and the evenings after work the sun is setting much earlier. Soon it will be time to turn the clocks back in the states. Luckily these shorter days here are still fairly mild temperature wise. We are able to get away with a light fleece or light scarf and sweater while being out and about.

Today we got home from our touristy weekend and decided that we needed to warm our souls. What better way than to make some soup! Soup is just so comforting in the fall and winter months. Did we mention this soup is not just any soup… Hands down its one of our all time favorite Korean soups. Think of this soup as Korean comfort in a bowl.

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We simply cannot help ourselves, we see this savory little number on any menu and ordering it becomes a MUST!

It’s sweet, its spicy, it’s just perfect, not to mention it’s incredibly good for you too.

We’ve been told that most foreigners are turned off by the smell and sight of the traditional soup. We really must be an exception to the rule.

So what is the soup made of? Mom, Dad, are you ready for this? Fermented Korean soybean paste.

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Doenjang Jjigae –Korean Soy Bean Paste Stew

Adapted from Tofoodwithluv

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 strips of dried seaweed (kelp)

2 tbsp Korean soy bean paste (doenjang)

2-3 tsp Korean chilli pepper powder (gochugaru)

6 Dried anchovy

5 Cups rice water broth (from the water used to rinse rice, ssal ddeum mul, and use for stew)

1/2 Green onion, thinly sliced

1 Green chilli pepper, sliced

1 Large zucchini, diced

1 small packet tofu diced into cubes

1 pack of enokitake mushrooms

Lets Get Cooking!

Toast the anchovies in your black bowl, Rinse your rice, making sure to save the milky rice water, that you plan to eat as a side with your soup. Add the broth/water to the anchovies, throw in the seaweed and bring to a boil. Boil about 3 minutes. Take out the seaweed and anchovies, discard them. Next mash and stir in the soybean paste into the simmering broth. Add in your chili powder. Cover and bring to a boil on medium to high heat for 5 minutes. Add onion, chilli peppers and zucchini, boil for 8-10 minutes. Add mushrooms, tofu in the last 2 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

ENJOY YOUR DOENJANG JJIGAE!

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