Cheonggukjang-jjigae (청국장찌개, Fast-Fermented Soybean Stew)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Ttukbaegi (Korean earthenware pot) or heavy 2-quart saucepan
• •Small saucepan for broth
• •Fine strainer or broth pouch
• •Small bowl for loosening the cheonggukjang
• •Ladle

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the broth

   Put the rice water, kelp, and anchovies in a small pot over medium heat. Pull the kelp out as soon as the water reaches a simmer, before it turns the broth slick and bitter. Simmer the anchovies 8 minutes more, then strain. Measure 3 1/2 cups broth for the stew and add a little water if you are short.

   Second-rinse rice water gives the stew a soft body that plain water does not. If you did not wash rice tonight, use water and make the broth clean.
2. 2

   Cut and measure

   Cut the radish thin, the zucchini thick, and the tofu into spoon-size cubes. Keep the cheonggukjang separate from the other seasonings. Measure 170 grams now. If the beans are very whole, press them lightly with a spoon, but leave some texture because those beans are part of the dish.

3. 3

   Cook pork and kimchi

   Heat the oil in a ttukbaegi or heavy 2-quart pot over medium heat. Add the pork and cook 2 to 3 minutes, just until the edges lose their raw color and a little fat renders. Add the chopped kimchi and kimchi brine and stir 3 minutes, until the kimchi looks glossy and deepened. Frying sour kimchi first rounds its sharpness and lets the pork fat carry it through the stew.

4. 4

   Simmer the base

   Pour in the strained broth, then add the radish and onion. Dissolve the doenjang into the liquid and add the gochugaru if you are using it. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes, until the radish edges turn translucent. The doenjang goes in early because it can handle the simmer and gives salt without forcing you to overcook the cheonggukjang.

5. 5

   Add tofu and zucchini

   Add the zucchini, tofu, and minced garlic. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes, just until the zucchini is tender but still green and the tofu is warmed through. Taste the broth now. It should be slightly underseasoned, because the cheonggukjang still has to enter the pot.

6. 6

   Stir in cheonggukjang

   Turn off the heat. Scoop 1/2 cup hot broth into a small bowl and mash the cheonggukjang into it until loose, then stir it back into the pot. Return the pot to low heat only until the edge trembles and a few bubbles appear, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let it roll into a hard boil. Cheonggukjang is not doenjang; long boiling drives its nutty smell into harshness.

   If your cheonggukjang is mild, add another 30 grams after tasting, but stir it in the same way, off the boil. Do not fix weakness with gochujang.
7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Scatter in the green chili, red chili if using, and scallions. Taste once more and add up to 1/4 teaspoon salt only if the broth tastes flat. Let the stew sit 2 minutes off the heat, then carry the pot to the table with hot rice. If the flavor feels strong, rice is the answer, not sugar.

Chef Tips

• •Buy cheonggukjang from the refrigerated or frozen case. It should smell strong, nutty, and fermented, not sharply of ammonia, and it should not show fuzzy mold. Sticky strings around the beans are normal.
• •Cheonggukjang varies wildly by maker. Start with 170 grams for this amount of broth. A very mild supermarket paste may need 200 grams, but add the extra at the end so you can taste your way there without boiling the life out of it.
• •Old kimchi belongs here. Fresh kimchi tastes sweet and flat in this stew, while sour kimchi gives the broth its backbone. If your kimchi is very salty, rinse it quickly, squeeze it, and keep the measured brine out until you taste.
• •Pork is common, not compulsory. For a meatless pot, leave it out, use kelp and dried shiitake broth instead of anchovies, and add 1 cup sliced mushrooms with the zucchini. Check the cheonggukjang label if you cook vegetarian, because some seasoned tubs contain anchovy.
• •Do not add gochujang. Cheonggukjang-jjigae should taste of fermented soybean, kimchi, and broth. A teaspoon of gochugaru is enough for warmth and color.
• •Cook with the vent on and the window cracked if your household needs it. That is not an apology. This is a strong stew, and it has always been strong.

Advance Preparation

• •The anchovy-kelp broth can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for 1 month. This turns the stew into a fast weeknight pot.
• •Cheonggukjang freezes well. Portion it into 170g packets, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months. Stir it in from thawed, not frozen, so it dissolves evenly off the boil.
• •The vegetables and tofu can be cut 6 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Keep tofu in fresh water and drain it before cooking.
• •Leftover stew keeps 2 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently over low heat and stop before a rolling boil, because the aroma grows stronger each time it is boiled hard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 600g)