Korean Seafood with Doenjang Sauce Grill
Haemul doenjang-gui is a Korean grilled seafood dish where shrimp and squid are coated with a sauce of doenjang, a touch of gochujang, minced garlic, sesame oil, and sugar, then grilled or pan-fried until the paste caramelizes. The fermented soybean paste's deep, earthy umami layers over the seafood's natural brine, and the small addition of gochujang provides a background warmth without overpowering the doenjang's nuttiness. Sugar in the sauce is essential-without it, the high-protein doenjang scorches on the grill before it can develop the fragrant, mahogany-brown caramelization that defines the dish. The seafood is done when the sauce darkens and becomes aromatic, which is the precise moment when the doenjang's concentrated savory flavor peaks.
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Instructions
- 1
Mix doenjang, gochujang, garlic, sesame oil, and sugar for the sauce.
- 2
Prepare seafood and coat with sauce.
- 3
Heat grill or pan and add seafood.
- 4
Grill over medium heat, turning once.
- 5
Done when the sauce is caramelized and fragrant.
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