Manneung-ganjang (All-Purpose Soy Seasoning)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small heavy saucepan, 1 to 2 quart capacity
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Heatproof measuring cup
• •Clean glass jar with tight lid, 2-cup capacity

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine the base

   Put the soy sauce, water, mirim, sugar, rice syrup, kelp, onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, and dried chili if using into a small saucepan. Stir once to wet the sugar. The water matters because straight soy reduces too salty before the aromatics have time to give anything back.

2. 2

   Warm it slowly

   Set the pan over medium-low heat and bring it just to a bare simmer, about 6 to 8 minutes. Do not boil hard. A hard boil makes the soy taste sharp and pushes the salt forward, which is the opposite of what this jar is for.

   Use a small saucepan so the aromatics stay mostly submerged. If the pan is wide, the soy reduces too quickly.
3. 3

   Remove the kelp

   As soon as small bubbles gather around the edge, lift out the kelp. Kelp gives body fast, then bitterness if you leave it to boil. This is the same lesson as anchovy-kelp broth: pull it early, and the pot stays clean.

4. 4

   Simmer the aromatics

   Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onion softens and the scallion turns dull green. Taste a cooled spoonful. It should be salty, lightly sweet, and rounded by the vegetables, because it will be used by the teaspoon and tablespoon, not eaten like soup.

5. 5

   Strain and cool

   Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl, pressing lightly on the onion but not mashing the garlic through. You want a clear, clean seasoning base. Let it cool completely before it goes into the jar, because trapped warmth in a closed jar shortens its life.

6. 6

   Jar and store

   Pour into a clean glass jar, cover, and refrigerate. It keeps 10 to 14 days if you used clean utensils and strained out the fresh aromatics. Do not store this at room temperature. This is home meal prep, not a shelf-stable preserve.

7. 7

   Season each dish

   Use 1 teaspoon for a bowl of fried eggs over rice, 1 tablespoon for 300g blanched spinach or bean sprouts, 1 to 2 tablespoons for pan-seared tofu, or 2 tablespoons as the start of a quick vegetable jorim. Add sesame oil, sesame seeds, scallion, vinegar, or gochugaru at the moment you serve, according to the dish. One jar begins the seasoning; it should not finish every dish the same way.

Chef Tips

• •Taste your soy sauce before you begin. If it is very dark and salty, use 1 cup soy sauce and 1 cup water instead of the amounts above. Write down which brand you used, because soy sauce changes this recipe more than the onion ever will.
• •Do not add sesame oil to the storage jar. It dulls in the refrigerator and coats everything the same way. Add 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil per tablespoon of manneung-ganjang when you are dressing greens or tofu.
• •For a vegetarian base, use naturally brewed soy sauce and omit any fish sauce or anchovy additions. Kelp and onion give enough depth for weeknight use.
• •For a richer jorim base, add 2 dried shiitake mushrooms to the simmer and strain them out. Slice the softened mushrooms for lunch rice if you like. Waste offends me more than a plain meal does.
• •Safe corner to cut: use garlic already peeled. Corner not to cut: straining and cooling before storage. Fresh aromatics left in the jar make the flavor muddy and the keeping time shorter.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the sauce up to 2 weeks ahead and keep it refrigerated. Label the jar with the date, not because we are fussy, but because memory is a borrowed bowl.
• •For faster weeknights, blanch greens and keep them dry in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Dress each vegetable only before serving so it stays bright and does not weep into the bowl.
• •Freeze half the batch in 2-tablespoon portions if you cook for one or two people. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and shake before using.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 17g)