Soybean Paste Stew with Clams
Korea's most comforting one-pot stew -- briny clams pop open in a bubbling doenjang broth, releasing their salty liquor into fermented soybean paste for a flavor no other stew can match. Manila clams are purged of sand, then added to a pot of doenjang-laced broth where they pop open and surrender their salty liquor into the soup, transforming the base from merely savory to sea-tinged and complex. Zucchini softens in the bubbling liquid and contributes a natural sweetness, while blocks of tofu act as sponges, soaking up the broth and bursting with hot, flavorful liquid when bitten. Sliced cheongyang chili peppers are stirred in to cut through the heaviness of the fermented paste and lift the overall flavor. The stew is served bubbling in an earthenware pot alongside rice - many Koreans spoon the broth directly over their bowl - and adapts to any season: light with summer vegetables from the refrigerator, or piping hot in a stone pot during winter.
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Instructions
- 1
Purge clams in salted water, then cut vegetables and tofu into bite-size pieces.
- 2
Dissolve soybean paste in rice-rinse water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- 3
Add potato and onion first; simmer for 8 minutes to build sweetness.
- 4
Add zucchini, tofu, and minced garlic, then simmer 7 more minutes.
- 5
Add clams and cook 4-5 minutes until they open.
- 6
Add sliced chili, simmer 1 minute more, and serve immediately.
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