Fermented soybean paste, along with dried anchovies, gives doenjangguk a surprisingly complex and layered flavor, at once savory, earthy, and nutty. And it cooks for only 30 minutes. Most Koreans eat it at least once or twice a week, for breakfast or dinner. Doenjangguk can be made with almost any vegetable you like. This version uses chard, which is easy to find in any supermarket and gives the dish just a bit of sweetness.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed
- ⅓ cup fermented soybean paste (doenjang)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 green Korean chili pepper (cheong-gochu), stemmed and chopped
- 1 red Korean chili pepper (hong-gochu), stemmed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 10 large dried anchovies (mareun-myeolchi), heads and guts removed
- 7 cups water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the chard and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain the chard in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cooled. Drain again and squeeze out excess water with your hands.
- Chop the chard into small pieces and return it to the pot. Add the soybean paste, garlic, chili peppers, and flour and mix well.
- Tie the dried anchovies up in a piece of cheesecloth and add to the pot. Add the water, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and boil for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the anchovies from the pot and discard. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Or let cool and refrigerate for up to 1 week in an airtight container. Reheat before serving
