Korean Bean Paste Stew (Daenjang Chigae) Recipe

This thick, fragrant stew is a Korean comfort food especially popular in the cold winter months. Korean bean paste (daenjang) is similar to Japanese miso but is much more pungent and powerful. Daenjang chigae is wonderfully hearty and can be made with almost any vegetables you have on hand. Although this is one dish where I actually prefer the more common zucchini, potato, and pepper combination of vegetables, it is delicious with carrots, other squashes, and turnips as well.

Ingredients:

•6 oz of beef or shrimp, sliced

•3 cups soup stock (Korean beef or anchovy or a low sodium store-bought version)*

•1/2 onion, chopped

•1 tsp finely chopped garlic

•1/2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and slices

•1 small potato, cut into small chunks

•1 green chili pepper, thinly sliced
•3 Tbsp daenjang (soybean paste)
•1 Tbsp kochujang (chili pepper paste)
•1 tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)
•1 tsp minced garlic
•1 cake of tofu, cut into small chunks
•1 scallion, chopped

Preparation:

1.If using beef, then saute beef until slightly browned in a soup pot. If using shrimp, then skip this step and just combine shrimp with vegetables.
2.Add stock, onion, garlic, zucchini, potato, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat.
3.Add soybean paste, chili pepper paste, pepper flakes (if using), and tofu.
4.When the stew begins boiling again, turn off heat and add chopped scallions.

(Serves 4)

If you don't have homemade or store-bought stock, then you can use water but then increase the amount of soybean paste you use and salt to taste towards the end of cooking time.