Korean Grilled Doenjang Onions
Quick answer
Onions are sliced into 2 cm rings, secured with skewers, and grilled over medium heat while being brushed with a sauce of doenjang, gochujang, minced garlic, perilla oil, and water.
What makes this special
- Yangpa-doenjang-gui concentrates onion sugars through slow grilling with a savory doenjang glaze.
- Skewered rings at medium heat for 8-10 minutes concentrate the onion's natural sugar as moisture escapes
- Perilla oil softens doenjang's saltiness while scorched edges add a nutty char note
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Peel the 2 onions and slice them into 2 cm rings.
- 2 In a bowl, mix 1.5 tablespoons doenjang, 0.5 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoo...
- 3 If the sauce feels stiff, loosen it with 1 tablespoon water until it spreads in a thin layer.
Onions are sliced into 2 cm rings, secured with skewers, and grilled over medium heat while being brushed with a sauce of doenjang, gochujang, minced garlic, perilla oil, and water. Over eight to ten minutes of flipping and re-brushing, the onion's moisture evaporates and its natural sugars concentrate into pronounced sweetness, while the doenjang chars lightly at the edges to add a toasted, earthy note. Perilla oil softens the salt intensity of the doenjang, and a finish of sliced green chili and ground sesame layers in mild heat and nuttiness. At 146 calories per serving, this is a low-calorie side dish that also works as a light accompaniment to drinks.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Peel the 2 onions and slice them into 2 cm rings.
Push skewers or toothpicks through the sides so the layers stay together and the rings do not fall apart when flipped.
- 2Prep
In a bowl, mix 1.5 tablespoons doenjang, 0.5 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon perilla oil, and 2 tablespoons water until smooth enough to brush.
- 3Season
If the sauce feels stiff, loosen it with 1 tablespoon water until it spreads in a thin layer.
Keep it thick enough to cling, because a watery sauce will slide off the onions.
- 4Control
Preheat the grill pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the onions and cook for 3 minutes.
Flip when the edges look translucent and light grill marks appear.
- 5Season
Brush a thin layer of sauce on the flipped side and grill for 3 more minutes.
If the doenjang darkens too quickly, lower the heat slightly and rebrush only dry spots.
- 6Finish
Flip once more, brush with the remaining sauce, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes.
When the onions are tender but still hold their shape, finish with sliced green chili and ground sesame.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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