Korean Zucchini Soybean Paste Soup
Aehobak doenjang-guk is the soup Koreans think of when they think of home - a bowl of soybean paste broth with soft zucchini that appears on dinner tables more often than any other guk. The foundation is anchovy-kelp stock, which provides a clean umami base for the doenjang to dissolve into. Zucchini is added after the broth has simmered with onion and garlic, cooking just five minutes so each half-moon slice holds its shape while releasing a gentle sweetness into the liquid. Cubed tofu goes in last, warming through without breaking apart. The finished soup is cloudy and golden, with the earthy funk of fermented soybean paste sitting underneath the vegetable sweetness. It is the kind of dish that Korean mothers make when nothing else seems right - uncomplicated, warm, and restorative.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Slice zucchini into half-moons and cut onion and tofu into bite-size pieces.
- 2
Bring stock to a boil and dissolve doenjang through a strainer.
- 3
Add onion and garlic, then simmer for 3 minutes.
- 4
Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes for natural sweetness.
- 5
Add tofu, season with soup soy sauce, and simmer 3 more minutes.
- 6
Finish with green onion for 1 minute and serve hot.
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