Baechu Doenjang-guk: Cabbage Soybean Soup
Written and photographed by Joe Wabe.
The holiday season takes a toll on our health and weight. While December is full of joy and fun, January comes with lots of regrets and new resolutions, especially when it comes to food choices. It’s a month to clean up, reset, and start again.
There’s nothing better than starting this year with a dish considered the mother of Korean comfort food: beachu doenjang-guk (배추된장국). For most Koreans, a bowl of this soup with some rice and kimchi will take them back to their childhood days. It comes packed with nutritional goodies due the soybean paste and napa cabbage that’s high in vitamins and fiber. This soup is ideal for people suffering from stomach or intestinal issues, so it’s a perfect dish to help you reset your gut back to where it was before hitting the December festivities.
Soybean paste, or “doenjang,” is made from fermented soybeans and brine. The soybeans are first washed and soaked overnight, and then boiled for many hours (sometimes up to eight hours). After being drained, they’re pounded in a mortar, then chunked and compressed into a cube form, which is called meju (메주). These bricks are hung to dry in a cool, shaded place, then after a few weeks sun-dried for later use. The specific time and method of making meju varies according to the region, and it can influence the taste as well. The process of fermenting soybeans, according to historical records, goes back two millennia – all the way back to the era of the Three Kingdoms.
Ready to start the year on a good nutritional note? Let’s put this simple and delicious soup together. It’s easy, healthy, and very economical.
Ingredients (Serves 3)
- 1 medium-sized napa cabbage
- 6 cups of water
- 4 tablespoons of soybean paste
- 1 chopped green onion
- 1 tablespoon of anchovy stock (or soy sauce)
- 1 tbs red pepper flakes
- 1 loaf of tofu
Preparation
Precook the cabbage in boiling water for 10–15 minutes until it’s soft and the color has changed to pale. Don’t throw away the water but use it for the soup. Remove the cabbage and let it rest in a strainer. Add more water and let it come to a boil; then add the soybean paste. Press the soybean paste on the side or bottom of the pot to dissolve it evenly. Then let it all boil for about four minutes. After that, taste for flavor and, if needed, you can add more paste to match your taste. Add the cabbage, anchovy stock, and tofu (cut into cubes). Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it cook for about 20 minutes. Finally, add the black pepper and green onions, and let it cook for an extra three minutes. Then the soup is ready to be served. This goes well with white rice, kim (dried laver), and kimchi.
The Author
Joe Wabe is a Gwangju expat, who has been contributing to the GIC and the
Gwangju News for more than 10 years with his work in photography and writing.