[Korean]Tofu Stew with Soy Bean Paste

There are number of tofu stews with soy bean paste from watery stew to thick paste. This recipe makes slightly watery stew.  Generally, you can put tofu, mushrooms, squash, potatoes, clams, shrimp, onions, green onions, and meat in the stew.


Tofu Stew with Soy Bean Paste (serves 3~4)
    Korean name : gang-dwen-jang
     soy bean paste : dwen-jang

 

Ingredients [click here for details]
1 medium potato, cut into cubes
1/3 medium onion, cut into cubes
1/2~1 tofu (about 4*4*3 cubic inch size), cut into cubes
2Tbsp soy bean paste
0.2 lb ground beef
2 shrimp
1/2 red pepper flake
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp sesame seed oil
2 cups of rice water
[optional]1/2 Tbsp anchovy powder
[optional]1~2 dried kelp
[optional]2 Thai peppers
[optional]mushrooms, squash, etc.

Cooking Instruction

1. Stir fry anchovy powder and 1 or 2 dried kelp with 1 Tbsp of sesame seed oil in a pot. When you have no anchovy powder or dried kelp, just skip this step.


2. Add cubed potatoes, ground beef, shrimp and  diced onions into the pot, and cook till vegetables are half-cooked. Add any other vegetables you like to use in this step.


3. Add 2 cups of rice water from the 3rd rinsing of the rice you will be eating with this dish. Remember this dish serves with steamed rice.


4. Bring it to boil.


5. When it is boiling, add 2 Tbsp of soy bean paste, 1/2 Tbsp of red pepper flakes and 1 Tbsp of minced garlic. Bring it to boil, again. When you add soy bean paste, crush it to dissolve it in the stew.


6. When it is boiling again, add cubed tofu and slashed Thai peppers.


How to Serve
Put this in a large serving bowl. This dish is shared by everyone, but you can serve it individually. Before serving, put some fresh chopped green onions.
Koreans always eat this with steamed rice.