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Sigeumchi doenjang guk
Spinach soybean paste soup
Sigeumchi doenjang-guk (시금치된장국): light spinach soup in soybean-paste broth, vegetarian version with kelp
Spinach doenjang-guk is one of the soups that appears most often on Korean breakfast and dinner tables in winter, when the short, sweet Pohang spinach called pohang-cho arrives from the east coast: a clear, savoury broth of fermented soybean paste with spinach, tofu and spring onion, eaten with rice and kimchi. It is usually made with anchovy stock; this version uses kelp and dried shiitake, so it is vegetarian. A bowl is about 60 kcal. The common mistake is boiling the doenjang hard for a long time, which makes it bitter and dulls its fragrance; dissolve it in, then simmer gently. Chef's tip: push the doenjang through a small sieve into the pot; it dissolves without lumps and leaves the husky bits behind.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups water
- ⅓ oz dried kelp (dasima)a 10 cm square
- 2 ½ tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1 garlic cloveminced
- 7 oz spinachwashed, cut into large pieces
- 5 ½ oz firm tofu (optional)cut into cubes
- 1 spring onionsliced
- 1 green chilli (optional)sliced
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What you'll need
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 4 ¼ cups water, ⅓ oz dried kelp (dasima) and 2 dried shiitake mushrooms in a pot and bring slowly to a simmer over a medium heat, about 8 minutes. Remove the kelp; slice the shiitake and return it.
8 minStep 2: Dissolve 2 ½ tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste) into the broth through a small sieve, pressing it with a spoon. Add 1 garlic clove and 5 ½ oz firm tofu and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
3 minStep 3: Add 7 oz spinach and 1 green chilli and simmer for 1–2 minutes, until the spinach has just wilted and is still bright green.
2 minStep 4: Add 1 spring onion, taste and serve hot with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sigeumchi doenjang guk take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of dried shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of garlic clove?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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