Gamjaguk (Potato Doenjang Anchovy Soup)
Gamjaguk is about as elemental as Korean soup gets - potatoes simmered in anchovy stock and seasoned with either doenjang or plain salt. When doenjang is used, the broth picks up a deep fermented savoriness that wraps around the mild potato flavor. When salt alone seasons the pot, the potato's own gentle sweetness becomes the star. Either way, the potatoes soften until their edges begin to dissolve, releasing starch that gives the broth a silky quality. Garlic and green onion provide the aromatic backbone, and a handful of zucchini can stretch the bowl into something more colorful. The beauty of gamjaguk lies in its accessibility - it can be assembled from a nearly empty refrigerator in fifteen minutes and still taste like home. It is one of those soups Korean families eat so often that it barely registers as a recipe, yet it remains one of the most requested comfort foods.
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Instructions
- 1
Cut potato and zucchini into bite-size pieces.
- 2
Dissolve doenjang in anchovy broth and bring to boil.
- 3
Add potato, garlic, green onion and cook until potato is tender.
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