Korean Wild Chive Soybean Paste Soup

Quick answer

Total time: 27 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Dallae doenjang-guk is a springtime Korean soybean paste soup that showcases wild chives, a seasonal ingredient valued for its sharp, garlicky bite and short availability window.

The anchovy-kelp stock is first simmered with potato and onion to build body and sweetness, then doenjang is dissolved in and tofu added for a soft, tender contrast against the broth. Wild chives go in only during the final minute of cooking, because their pungent aroma dissipates rapidly under sustained heat; cooking them too long makes them indistinguishable from ordinary green onion in both flavor and appearance. The bulb end of each chive stalk carries a stronger bite than the leaves, so mincing the bulbs finely distributes their flavor more evenly through the broth. A half teaspoon of gochugaru tints the soup a faint red that visually matches the chive's natural heat. Because dallae is in season for only a brief window, setting a few raw stalks aside to place at the table as a garnish amplifies the fresh spring character of the dish.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

wild chives (dallae)70 gg

doenjang1½ tbsptbsp

tofu120 gg

potato120 gg

onion70 gg

minced garlic1 tsptsp

anchovy-kelp stock750 mlml

Korean chili flakes½ tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Shake soil from 70g wild chives, rinse them several times, and drain well.

Mince the bulb ends finely so their sharper bite spreads through the soup, then cut the green stems into 4cm lengths.
2

Heat

Slice 120g potato thinly so it cooks quickly and releases starch into the broth.

Slice 70g onion, then cut 120g tofu into bite-size pieces, handling it gently so the cubes stay intact.
3

Control

Put 750ml anchovy-kelp stock and the sliced potato in a pot, then bring it to a steady simmer over medium heat.

Cook about 6 minutes, until the potato edges soften slightly and cloud the broth.
4

Control

Press 1.5 tbsp doenjang through a strainer into the simmering stock and stir well.

If thick bits remain, ladle hot broth over them and dissolve them fully so the soup does not taste salty in patches.
5

Control

Add the onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, and 0.5 tsp Korean chili flakes.

Keep the heat at medium and simmer 4 minutes, skimming foam if needed, until the onion softens and the broth turns faintly red.
6

Finish

Add the tofu and simmer 3 minutes, just until heated through.

Add the wild chives last and cook only 1 minute, then turn off the heat and serve immediately while their sharp aroma remains fresh.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Dallae doenjang guk highlights the peppery, garlicky bite of wild spring chives in a warm soybean paste base.
Finish cue: Add the tofu and simmer 3 minutes, just until heated through.
Avoid this: Wild chives go in only during the final minute of cooking, because their pungent aroma dissipates rapidly under sustained heat; cooking them too long makes them indistinguishable from ordinary green onion in both flavor and appearance.