Doenjang Jjigae – Korean soy stew

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300 g beef, fatty
• 1 liter of water
• 200 g soybean paste, Korean (Doenjang)
• 50 g chili paste, Korean (Gotschujang)
• 2 potatoes
• 1 zucchini
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 pepper, green
• 2 spring onions
• 300 g tofu, semi-firm
• e.g. chili flakes, Korean
• 250 g long grain rice

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

traditional, based on fermented soy paste (Doengjang)

Rinse the rice in water, stirring thoroughly with your hands so that the starch dissolves into the water and a milky, cloudy liquid forms. Drain the rice starch water into a container and set aside. Cut the beef into thin, bite-sized pieces – I have the butcher cut them into 3-5 mm thick slices, which I then cut into 2-3 cm pieces. Quarter the potatoes and zucchini lengthwise and cut into thin 3-5 mm slices. Slice the spring onions and peppers. Finely chop or press the garlic. Cut the tofu into approximately 1 cm pieces. Cook the rice in twice the amount of water; it may become sticky. Brown the beef until the fat has rendered (remove any excess, solid fat if necessary). Add the rice starch water and bring to a boil. Stir in the soy paste and chili paste. Add the potatoes and zucchini and bring back to a boil briefly. Add the tofu. Finally, add the spring onions and chili peppers and let them simmer for a few minutes. If you like it a little spicier, you can season with chili flakes. Serve the soup and rice separately. You can put some rice on a spoon and use it to spoon the soup into the soup. Or just eat the soup on its own with the rice. In Korea, various types of kimchi and various pickled vegetables are traditionally served as side dishes. Note: Korean clay pots are ideal, of course. But it also tastes good in regular soup pots and bowls. In Asia, beef with a strong fatty marbling is popular – unfortunately, you can’t find that everywhere here. I use entrecôte, for example. Pork or seafood can be used instead of beef. In Korea, enoki mushrooms (velvet foot or winter mushrooms) are often added; you can also use shiitake mushrooms or simply button mushrooms instead.