Chewy Sea Snail and Savory Soybean Paste Stew: Mom’s Special Recipe
Chewy Sea Snail and Savory Soybean Paste Stew: Mom’s Special Recipe
Chewy Sea Snail Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew) – My Mom’s Special Recipe
To cater to my husband’s love for seafood, I started adding sea snails to our doenjang jjigae. The wonderfully chewy texture of the sea snails combined with the rich, savory flavor of the soybean paste created a dish that the whole family now adores. This recipe is a testament to how a simple stew can become a beloved staple.
Stew Ingredients- Beef for stew (e.g., brisket) 150g
- Boiled sea snails 5-6 pieces (or fresh sea snails)
- 1/2 Onion
- 1/2 Zucchini
- 1/2 block Firm Tofu
- 1 handful Fresh Korean wild chives (dallae)
- 1/2 Scallion
- 1 Green chili pepper
- 800ml Water (about 4 cups)
Seasoning Ingredients- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables and tofu by chopping them into bite-sized pieces. Slice the sea snails thinly to maintain their chewy texture. If using Korean wild chives (dallae), wash them thoroughly and chop them finely.
* **Fresh Sea Snails:** Boil them in water with 1 tablespoon of doenjang for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove the meat from the shell, rinse clean, and slice thinly.
* **Refrigerated Sea Snails:** If they are still in their shells, extract the meat, rinse well, and slice thinly.
* **Frozen Sea Snails:** Thaw them in cold water with a pinch of salt, then rinse under running water and slice thinly.
Step 2
In a deep pot, add the beef for stew and 800ml of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until the meat is tender and the broth is flavorful, aiming for about 500ml of broth. (While the broth is simmering, mix the doenjang, gochujang, gochugaru, and minced garlic in a small bowl.)
* You can use store-bought beef bone broth or brisket broth for convenience. However, since these broths are often seasoned, you may need to add extra water and adjust the amount of doenjang and gochujang to avoid making the stew too salty.
Step 3
Once the broth is boiling, add the sliced onion first. Let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes to allow the natural sweetness of the onion to infuse into the soup.
Step 4
When the onion is somewhat softened and the broth is boiling again, add the prepared sea snails and zucchini in sequence. The stew will become richer as the vegetables cook.
Step 5
Once the zucchini and sea snails are tender, add the tofu, chopped scallion, and green chili pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and let the ingredients simmer gently.
Step 6
Simmer for another 2-3 minutes, just until the tofu absorbs the flavors of the broth. Finally, add the fresh Korean wild chives (dallae) and cook for just 1 more minute. Your delicious sea snail doenjang jjigae is ready! The unique fresh aroma and taste of dallae elevate the stew’s overall flavor, making it even more delightful. Enjoy your meal!
