Creamy and Nutty Napa Cabbage Soybean Paste Stew with Raw Soybean Flour
Creamy and Nutty Napa Cabbage Soybean Paste Stew with Raw Soybean Flour
How to Make a Delicious Napa Cabbage Doenjang Stew with Added Raw Soybean Flour for Extra Richness
Today, we’re making a slightly different kind of doenjang stew! This recipe incorporates raw soybean flour, which creates a wonderfully smooth and savory broth, elevating the classic Napa cabbage doenjang stew to a new level. It’s a comforting and delicious soup that pairs perfectly with a bowl of rice.
Main Ingredients- 10 leaves of fresh Napa cabbage (adjust quantity to your preference)
- 1 cup of nutty raw soybean flour
- 1 liter of clear water (or rice water)
- 1/2 stalk of fragrant green onion
- 1 spicy Cheongyang chili pepper (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
We’ll start by preparing 10 leaves of Napa cabbage, the star of this flavorful stew. If you enjoy a hearty portion of vegetables in your soup, feel free to increase the amount of cabbage. Adjusting to your personal preference is key!
Step 2
Rinse the Napa cabbage leaves thoroughly under running water. Cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 1 cm thick. If the leaves are large, you can fold them in half before cutting for easier handling.
Step 3
Unlike a typical doenjang stew, for this recipe, we’ll briefly blanch the cut cabbage before coating it with raw soybean flour and then boiling it. This method prevents the soybean flour from clumping in the broth; instead, it adheres to the cabbage in soft, delightful morsels, adding a richer nutty flavor and a pleasant texture. If you add the soybean flour directly to the broth, it tends to settle at the bottom, so this technique is highly recommended.
Step 4
Fill a pot with plenty of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add the cut Napa cabbage leaves and blanch them for just about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, as they can become too soft.
Step 5
Drain the blanched cabbage leaves and immediately rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them down.
Step 6
Gently squeeze out as much water as possible from the rinsed cabbage leaves using your hands. Excess moisture might prevent the soybean flour from coating evenly.
Step 7
Loosen the squeezed cabbage leaves with your hands, ensuring there are no clumps. This helps the soybean flour adhere better.
Step 8
Now, let’s prepare the soup base. Pour about 1 liter of water into a pot and bring it to a boil. You can achieve a deeper flavor by making a broth with anchovies or kelp, but plain water or rice water also works wonderfully for a clean and tasty soup. Using a prepared broth is optional.
Step 9
Once the broth begins to boil, dissolve 3 tablespoons of doenjang. It’s best to use a sieve to ensure it dissolves smoothly without lumps, keeping the broth clear.
Step 10
While doenjang alone is delicious, I like to add 1/2 tablespoon of gochujang for an extra layer of savory flavor and a hint of mild spice. Also, add 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic.
Step 11
As the doenjang broth starts to reboil, get ready to add the Napa cabbage. It’s important to do this right after coating the cabbage with soybean flour to prevent the flour from clumping.
Step 12
In a bowl, combine the blanched and squeezed Napa cabbage with 1 cup of raw soybean flour. Gently toss until the soybean flour evenly coats the cabbage leaves. Aim for a light coating, avoiding pressing down too hard.
Step 13
If you coat the cabbage with soybean flour too far in advance, the moisture released from the cabbage can cause it to clump. Therefore, coating it right before adding it to the boiling soup is the key to success!
Step 14
When the doenjang broth is at a rolling boil, carefully add the soybean flour-coated Napa cabbage.
Step 15
At this stage, resist the urge to stir immediately! Let the soup come back to a boil and allow the raw soybean flour to cook. Stirring too early can cause the soybean flour to detach from the cabbage and disperse into the broth.
Step 16
Once the soup returns to a boil and the soybean flour has cooked, you’ll notice that the flour clings beautifully to the cabbage in a milky-white coating, rather than settling at the bottom or falling off. This creates a wonderful texture and allows you to enjoy the nutty flavor of the soybean flour along with the tender cabbage.
Step 17
Adding tofu is optional, but if you have some leftover, cutting it into bite-sized pieces and adding it will make the stew even more satisfying and delicious.
Step 18
Finally, add half a stalk of green onion, finely chopped, for a fresh aroma and a touch of color.
Step 19
I like to add a small pinch of sugar when making doenjang stew. It helps to mellow out any harshness from the soybean paste and enhances the natural umami flavors of the ingredients, making the stew much more delicious. (1 tsp)
Step 20
And there you have it – your delicious, creamy, and nutty Napa cabbage doenjang stew with raw soybean flour is ready! Enjoy it piping hot with a bowl of rice.
