Soups & Stews · Seafood

Doenjang-jjigae

Name: Doenjang-jjigae
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 6-8 King Prawn; 1/2 Courgette; 150g Tofu; 1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic; 1 Spring Onion; 3 Tbsp Doenjang; 1/2 Onion; 1 Potato; 550ml Fish Stock; 1 Tsp Sesame Oil; 1 Green Chilli Pepper

된장찌개

Warm with a deep flavour, doenjang-jjigae is a typical, everyday Korean dish.

Prep: 5m
Cooking: 35m
Total: 40m

Doenjang-jjigae (된장찌개) is one of my go-to dishes when I don’t have much time available to cook but still want to prepare a healthy, nutritious and of course tasty meal. I think most Korean households feel the same as this is a very popular dish in Korea and can be eaten as a main meal or as a side dish to a larger feast.

This stew has a warm, deep hearty flavour to it, thanks mainly to the doenjang soy bean paste, and is well complimented by the vegetables, tofu and prawns. This is a real winner for a dark, wet, cold winter evening!

If you don’t like spicy food then this dish is perfect for you, and for kids. If you do like a spicy kick in your food then that’s ok too. Keep an eye out for the optional step where you can add some chilli.

Doenjang-jjigae is usually cooked in a Ttukbaegi which is a traditional earthenware pot. I’d highly recommend trying to find one of these, especially if you intend to cook many Korean dishes, as they are widely used. They also add a touch of authenticity to the meal and do a great job of retaining heat so your food stays warm while you eat out of the pot.

As with all ingredients within my recipes, if you’re not sure what something is – or where you can find it – just click on its name in the ingredient list on the left to find out more!

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

6-8 King Prawn
1/2 Courgette
150g Tofu
1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic
1 Spring Onion
3 Tbsp Doenjang
1/2 Onion
1 Potato
550ml Fish Stock
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 Green Chilli Pepper optional

Method

1

Peel and cut the potato into 1/2 inch cubes. Thickly slice the courgette and then cut each slice into half. Peel and finely chop the onion. Slice the spring onion.
2

In a ttukbaegi, or heavy pan add the sesame oil, potato, onion, courgette, fish stock and garlic. * If you want to add a touch of spice add in 1 sliced green chilli pepper at this point. This is optional only to give the dish a bit of a spicy kick and is not required.
3

Heat the ttukbaegi, or heavy pan over a high heat until it starts to boil. After 5 minutes of boiling add the doenjang soy bean paste, mix it in well until fully dissolved and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes on medium heat.
4

Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the pan along with the prawns. Continue to boil for a further 5 minutes.
5

Garnish with the sliced spring onions and serve immediately with a bowl of cooked rice.