Korean Spring Cabbage Soybean Paste Soup
Quick answer
Bomdong doenjang-guk is a seasonal Korean home soup made by simmering spring cabbage and doenjang in rice-rinsing water, which adds a subtle starchy body to the broth and...
What makes this special
- Turn off the heat within two minutes of adding leaves so the spring cabbage stays sweet and crisp.
- Leaves turned off within 1-2 minutes so the moisture-rich spring cabbage stays sweet, not soggy
- Rice-washing water base softens doenjang's salt with gentle starch
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Separate 300 g spring cabbage into stems and leaves, then cut both into bite-size pieces.
- 2 Pour 1.2 L rice-rinsing water into a pot and press 3 tbsp soybean paste through a strainer.
- 3 Set the pot over medium heat. When small bubbles gather around the edges, ad...
Bomdong doenjang-guk is a seasonal Korean home soup made by simmering spring cabbage and doenjang in rice-rinsing water, which adds a subtle starchy body to the broth and softens the saltiness of the paste. The thicker cabbage stems go in first to soften properly while retaining some bite, and the tender leaves are added at the end to hold their natural sweetness and color. Tofu, a pinch of red chili flakes, and green onion round out the bowl with depth and mild heat. A drop of sesame oil just before serving adds a nutty finishing aroma. Spring cabbage has a high water content and turns mushy quickly, so the leaves should be added less than two minutes before turning off the heat.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Separate 300 g spring cabbage into stems and leaves, then cut both into bite-size pieces.
Cut the firm tofu into 2 cm cubes and thinly slice the green onion, keeping each prepared ingredient separate.
- 2Season
Pour 1.2 L rice-rinsing water into a pot and press 3 tbsp soybean paste through a strainer.
Stir well so no large lumps remain, which keeps the broth smoother and evenly seasoned.
- 3Control
Set the pot over medium heat.
When small bubbles gather around the edges, add 1 tbsp minced garlic and the cabbage stems, then simmer about 2 minutes until the stems bend slightly but still hold shape.
- 4Control
Add the tofu and wait until the broth returns to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to medium-low.
Simmer about 3 minutes without stirring hard so the tofu stays intact and absorbs flavor.
- 5Heat
Add the cabbage leaves and cook only 1 to 2 minutes, just until they wilt and turn a deeper green.
Do not keep boiling after they sink into the broth, or the leaves can turn mushy.
- 6Finish
Season with 1 tbsp soup soy sauce, then add 0.5 tbsp red chili flakes and the sliced green onion.
Simmer 1 more minute, turn off the heat, and serve hot while the cabbage still has texture.
After the steps
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