Spring’s Fragrance: Hearty Wild Chive Doenjang Jjigae
Elevate your everyday Doenjang Jjigae with the vibrant, seasonal flavors of wild chives (dallae), bringing the essence of spring to your table.
This recipe features fresh wild chives, hand-picked from my garden, transforming a simple doenjang jjigae into a celebration of spring. My garden soil is quite loamy, which often means pulling on the green stalks of dallae only detaches the leaves, leaving the roots behind. To overcome this, I use a small shovel to carefully unearth them, then crouch down to shake off the excess soil, and remove any yellowing leaves right there. After bringing them inside, a thorough rinse is in order. The resulting jjigae, infused with the abundant fragrance of these carefully prepared wild chives, is simply delightful and truly captures the spirit of the season.
Main Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh wild chives (dallae, approx. 100g)
- 1 small onion
- 1 stalk green onion (scallion)
- 1 block firm tofu (approx. 300g)
- 3 Tbsp doenjang (Korean soybean paste)
- 2 Korean chili peppers (cheongyang peppers)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 cups kelp and anchovy broth
- 100g beef tendon (seji)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, trim and thoroughly wash the fresh wild chives. Since they are quite long, fold them 2-3 times and gather a handful. (Make sure to have a generous amount as shown in the picture.)
Step 2
Roughly chop the prepared wild chives into pieces about 2-3 cm long. Cutting them slightly larger than minced preserves a pleasant texture.
Step 3
In a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot), add the small onion, cut into large cubes. Slice the green onion diagonally and add it to the pot. Cut the block of tofu (about 300g) into similarly large cubes and arrange them attractively in the pot.
Step 4
Next, add 3 tablespoons of doenjang and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Adding the doenjang early allows the broth to develop a deeper flavor.
Step 5
Pour in 3 cups (approximately 600ml) of broth made from kelp and anchovies. Bring this mixture to a boil over high heat. If you don’t have this broth, water or rice water can be used as alternatives.
Step 6
Once the broth begins to boil vigorously, add the 100g of beef tendon (seji), which has been pre-rinsed. (It’s a great bonus if your butcher gives you some tendon! It adds a wonderfully chewy texture and rich flavor to soups and stews.)
Step 7
When the entire pot is bubbling robustly, add the prepared wild chives and the 2 Korean chili peppers, sliced diagonally. Simmer briefly for just another moment to finish. Avoid overcooking, as it can diminish the delicate fragrance of the wild chives. This hearty dallae doenjang jjigae is perfect served over rice; mix it all together for an extra burst of deliciousness!
