Vegan Doenjang Jjigae (Korean Fermented Soybean Stew)
Ingredients
- 3 cups water or vegan dashi
- 1 piece kelp roughly 3"x3" piece
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 small potato diced
- 1/2 zucchini quartered and thinly sliced
- 1/2 white or yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 4-5 thin slices of korean green pepper adjust to taste, start with less!
- 3 oz tofu
- 1/3 cup mushrooms of choice
- 1 green onion white stem thinly sliced and green top sliced diagonally, for garnish
- 2-3 tbsp doenjang or fermented soybean paste
- neutral oil to sauté
Instructions
- Begin by preparing some kelp and dried mushroom stock. If using dashi, you can skip this step. Add mushrooms and kelp to a bowl or pot along with water and let soak for at least an hour, or preferably overnight.
- Next add 1-2 tbsp of neutral oil to a dry pot over medium heat. Add potatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes, followed by onion and sauté for another 2 minutes, or until slightly translucent. Add garlic, green onion stem and chili pepper and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add your broth to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add doenjang paste, making sure it is dissolved into the soup and then your zucchini and tofu. If using mushrooms, add at this step as well.
- Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, adjust to taste, adding additional chili pepper or doenjang paste as needed, then garnish with green onion tops and enjoy with rice.
Notes
- If you want to mix up the vegetables in this recipe try adding seasonal produce like those found in these Korean mung bean pancakes, which use hearty mung beans and fresh veggies for a crispy, protein-rich dish.
- Want to adjust the spice level? Try using my gluten-free gochujang substitute to control the heat to your liking.