Doenjang-jjigae

Doenjang-jjigae (Korean: 된장찌개), referred to in English as soybean paste stew, is a Korean traditional jjigae (stew-type dish), made from the primary ingredient of doenjang (soybean paste), and additional optional ingredients of vegetables, seafood, and meat. It is one of the most iconic and popular traditional dishes in Korean cuisine, and is often eaten regularly regardless of occasion or time of day. Doenjang-jjigae was initially made with home-made doenjang; however, due to extensive industrialisation of soybean paste, households and restaurants nowadays use factory-made doenjang instead as their ingredient. From traditional to modern Korean cuisine, doenjang has become one of the most frequently used jang (sauce/paste). It is claimed as a national dish.
Doenjang-jjigae is often mistaken for doenjang-guk (soybean paste soup). The main difference between Korean-style stew and soup is in the method of cooking and serving. Jjigae is thicker, has more ingredients, and is largely served as a dish. Guk is served more so as a companion to the rice to be eaten together.
The origin of doenjang, which is used as the primary ingredient of doenjang-jjigae, dates back to as early as the Korean Three Kingdoms period. Korea was largely agricultural, with vast farmlands but unstable, insufficient sources of meat, especially during winter. In the search for easily prepared relief substitutes of sources of protein, Korean farmers began cultivating jang (sauce/paste) from various plants and seeds. Doenjang was first produced during this period through the fermentation of soybeans in the form of meju. Fermented soybean paste is a rich source of isoflavone, which helps in preventing cardiovascular diseases and supplies daily nutrients to the body.
The first official record of the use of doenjang is written in the Samguk Sagi, the historical records of the Three Kingdoms era registered by government officials and scholars. In the Samguk Sagi, it is recorded that doenjang and other varieties of jang were served at the wedding ceremony of King Sinmun of Silla in 683 CE.
The earliest form of doenjang jjigae is mainly connected to ‘curled mallow soup’, which is mentioned in the Jeungbo sallim gyeongje, a record of Korean agriculture by physician Yu Jung-Rim during the rule of King Youngjo (1724 – 1776). Curled mallow soup is a traditional Korean soup-type dish where mallow leaves and other vegetables are boiled in a doenjang-filled broth, and served as a soup complementary with rice. Since this period, various provinces and regions around the Korean peninsula began to develop their own unique recipes of doenjang-jjigae, and most varieties of these soybean paste stew are still maintained.
There are many variations and subtle differences in the ingredients used in cooking doenjang-jjigae in accordance to its originating province. Primary and typical ingredients commonly found doenjang-jjigae include doenjang (fermented soybean paste), dried anchovies, white radish, Korean chili pepper, minced garlic, water, onions, green onions, potato, zucchini, and medium-firm tofu.
Doenjang-jjigae was traditionally cooked with homemade soybean paste, which was commonly prepared in most households, similar to the preparation of kimchi. Industrialization brought a nationwide shift to using factory-made doenjang-jjigae.
Many other ingredients can be added to doenjang-jjigae for a heartier meal, especially meat or seafood. These secondary ingredients significantly change the taste of the broth and stew, so it is usually referred to by a slightly different name according to the ingredient used. The most common seafood ingredients added to doenjang-jjigae include prawns or small clams, and beef is the most popular and commonly found meat ingredient.
The base broth is made by boiling dried anchovies and white radishes, then doenjang and chili pepper, are added, it is boiled further, the anchovies are removed, and the other ingredients added.
Doenjang contains isoflavone, which helps prevent diseases such as cardiovascular disease or osteoporosis, and lecithin, which helps improve brain function, so it is effective not only for growing children, but also for adults and the elderly. In addition, doenjang is rich in dietary fiber, which is beneficial for digestive system functions.
Multiple varieties of doenjang-jjigae can be found in Korean cuisine, different in taste, presentation, regionality, and steps of preparation and consumption. These varieties are usually distinguished by their unique main ingredient, which the dish itself is usually named after, with doenjang-jjigae following it.