Korean Soy-Marinated Soybean Leaves
Quick answer
- Total time
- 25 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Kongnip-jangajji is soybean leaves preserved in a seasoned soy brine - one of the two major leaf jangajji traditions alongside perilla leaf (kkaennip) jangajji.
Read more
Soybean leaves are larger and thicker than perilla leaves, taking longer to absorb the pickling liquid but offering a more substantial chew, with each leaf large enough to wrap around a spoonful of rice. The brine - soy sauce, water, vinegar, and sugar boiled together - must cool completely before pouring over the leaves; hot liquid softens them into a limp state, destroying the desired texture. Garlic cloves, cheongyang chili, and onion slices added to the jar infuse the brine with aromatic complexity during the curing process, producing a more layered flavor than plain soy. A minimum of two days of refrigerated aging is needed for the seasoning to reach the leaf interior, and flipping the layers once daily ensures even penetration. The most common way to eat it is draped over hot steamed rice, ssam-style.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Rinse 120 g soybean leaves one by one under running water, rubbing both sides to remove soil.
Check around the thicker stem ends as well, then drain in a colander or rack for about 10 minutes.
- 2Control
Put 200 ml soy sauce, 200 ml water, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a pot.
Heat over medium heat, stirring until it comes to a boil and the sugar fully dissolves, then turn off the heat.
- 3Heat
Let the boiled brine cool completely at room temperature.
If you can still feel heat when you place your hand near it, wait longer, because warm brine can soften the thick leaves too much.
- 4Prep
Slice 5 garlic cloves thinly, cut 2 cheongyang chilies on the diagonal, and slice 60 g onion thinly.
Add them to the cooled brine and stir so the aromatics are evenly distributed.
- 5Step
Place the soybean leaves in a clean container, stacking about 5 leaves at a time in the same direction.
Pour in the cooled brine until every leaf is submerged, then close the lid tightly.
- 6Finish
Refrigerate for at least 2 days, flipping the layers once a day so the brine seasons them evenly.
It is ready when the soy color reaches the center of the leaves; serve over hot rice.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Large soybean leaves are preserved in a cool soy brine to maintain a firm texture.
- Finish cue
- Refrigerate for at least 2 days, flipping the layers once a day so the brine seasons them evenly.
- Storage and reheating
- The brine - soy sauce, water, vinegar, and sugar boiled together - must cool completely before pouring over the leaves; hot liquid softens them into a limp state, destroying the desired texture.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
25min, 8 ingredients
Category median
32min, 7 ingredients
Based on 163 recipes
Official cooking and safety guidance
-
Produce preparation
Wash produce under running water before cutting or peeling it. Do not use soap or household detergent.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Selecting and Serving Produce Safely
Sources checked 2026-07-22
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