Soybean Paste Stew with Clams
Quick answer
- Total time
- 37 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Doenjang jjigae with clams is one of the most frequently made stews in Korean households, built on the combination of fermented soybean paste's deep, earthy flavor and the clean briny umami of manila clams.
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The clams are purged of sand before being added to a pot of doenjang-laced broth, where they open and release their salty, seawater-flavored liquor directly into the soup. The result transforms the base from something merely savory into something distinctly oceanic and complex. Zucchini softens in the bubbling broth and contributes a natural sweetness as it breaks down, while blocks of soft tofu act as sponges, soaking up the seasoned liquid and releasing it in a burst of hot, flavorful broth when bitten into. Sliced cheongyang chili peppers are added to interrupt the heaviness of the fermented paste and sharpen the overall flavor. The stew is typically served in an earthenware pot while still bubbling, alongside rice. Many Koreans ladle the broth directly over their bowl of rice. The recipe adapts to any season: assembled with leftover summer vegetables from the refrigerator for a lighter version, or cooked piping hot in a stone pot through winter.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Soak 250 g clams in 3% salt water for 30 minutes to purge grit, then slice zucchini, potato, and onion 1.5 cm thick and cube tofu into 2 cm pieces.
- 2Step
Pour 700 ml rice-rinse water into a pot, strain and dissolve 2 tbsp soybean paste through a sieve, then heat over medium until the surface just begins to bubble.
- 3Control
Add potato and onion, simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes until the potato yields slightly to a chopstick with a hint of resistance, drawing out full sweetness into the broth.
- 4Control
Add zucchini, tofu, and 1 tbsp minced garlic, then simmer over medium heat 7 more minutes until the zucchini turns translucent and a garlicky aroma rises from the broth.
- 5Heat
Add the purged clams, raise to medium-high, and cook 4-5 minutes until every shell opens wide; discard any that remain shut and adjust heat to maintain a steady boil.
- 6Finish
Add 1 thinly sliced hot green chili, simmer 1 minute more to infuse its sharp heat into the broth, then bring the pot straight to the table and serve immediately.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Manila clams open in doenjang broth and release briny juice that deepens the fermented soybean paste flavor.
- Finish cue
- Add zucchini, tofu, and 1 tbsp minced garlic, then simmer over medium heat 7 more minutes until the zucchini turns translucent and a garlicky aroma rises from the broth.
- Storage and reheating
- The recipe adapts to any season: assembled with leftover summer vegetables from the refrigerator for a lighter version, or cooked piping hot in a stone pot through winter.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
37min, 9 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 122 recipes
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