A well-executed doenjang jjigae can be a quiet but powerful exercise in restraint. This simple recipe allows the umami-rich flavor of the doenjang (DWEN-jahng), a fermented soybean paste, and the natural sweetness of onion, zucchini and radish to shine. The oil-packed anchovies here may not be as traditional as dried, but they are an effective substitute that I learned from my friend James Park. You can make this dish vegan by skipping the anchovies and swapping the slightly lily-gilding rib-eye steak for cubed medium-firm tofu.

Doenjang Jjigae

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons doenjang, plus more to taste (see Tip)

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed and coarsely chopped

• 1 small red onion, cut into medium dice

• 1 medium zucchini, cut into medium dice

• 5 ounces Korean radish, peeled, quartered, then thinly sliced crosswise

• 3 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced

• 1 (4-inch) square dasima (dried kelp), cracked into small pieces

• 4 oil-packed anchovies, drained

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• Salt

• 1 thin, boneless rib-eye steak (about 6 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces

• Steamed white rice, for serving

Directions:

To a medium pot, add the doenjang, garlic, onion, zucchini, radish, mushrooms, dasima, anchovies, soy sauce and 3 cups cold tap water, and season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to gently boil, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables start to soften and the broth tastes intensely savory and as salty as the sea, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with more doenjang or salt as desired; the stew should be assertively seasoned.

Stir in the steak and continue gently boiling the jjigae, stirring once or twice, until the meat is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve with bowls of fresh white rice.

Total time: 15 minutes, serves 2.

Tip:

You can find doenjang, often labeled “soybean paste,” in Korean or Asian supermarkets and online. Packed with umami and irresistible salinity, doenjang is a soulful flavor booster made of fermented soybeans and brine. For unparalleled savoriness, drop it into pasta sauce, slick it over fish or whisk it into your favorite salad dressing.

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