Korean Stir-fried Cabbage with Doenjang
Quick answer
Yangbaechu-doenjang-bokkeum stir-fries bite-size cabbage pieces with doenjang, gochugaru, and garlic over high heat.
What makes this special
- Yangbaechu-doenjang-bokkeum uses a light doenjang water to coat crisp cabbage pieces evenly during cooking.
- Doenjang dissolved in water coats cabbage more evenly than paste alone
- Heat cut before cabbage fully wilts to preserve the crisp bite
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 300 g cabbage into bite-size pieces, avoiding the tough core, and slice any thick ribs more thinly.
- 2 In a small bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon doenjang, 0.5 teaspoon gochugaru, and 30 ml water before cooking.
- 3 Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to a pan and heat it over medium-high heat.
Yangbaechu-doenjang-bokkeum stir-fries bite-size cabbage pieces with doenjang, gochugaru, and garlic over high heat. The doenjang is dissolved in a small amount of water to create an even sauce that coats the cabbage, and the heat is turned off before the cabbage fully wilts to preserve some crunch. The cabbage's natural sweetness intensifies with cooking and contrasts against the salty, fermented depth of the doenjang, while gochugaru adds a faint background heat. The entire dish comes together in under fifteen minutes, relying on doenjang alone to deliver concentrated flavor.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut 300 g cabbage into bite-size pieces, avoiding the tough core, and slice any thick ribs more thinly.
Slice 70 g onion evenly so it softens at the same pace as the cabbage.
- 2Heat
In a small bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon doenjang, 0.5 teaspoon gochugaru, and 30 ml water before cooking.
Break up lumps fully, because thick paste can scorch in the hot pan before it coats the cabbage.
- 3Control
Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to a pan and heat it over medium-high heat.
Stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic and the onion, then cook for about 1 minute until fragrant and the onion edges look translucent.
- 4Step
Raise the heat to high, add the cabbage, and spread it across the pan.
Toss constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the edges look glossy and the cabbage begins to soften without collapsing.
- 5Control
Pour the prepared doenjang sauce around the edge of the pan and mix right away.
Stir-fry over high heat for about 1 minute, letting the sauce lightly coat between the cabbage leaves instead of pooling.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat while the cabbage is still crisp and most moisture has reduced.
Add 0.5 teaspoon sesame oil, toss once to finish, and serve while warm so the texture stays clear.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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