Hearty Winter Comfort: Dongtae Jjigae’s Broth Made with Doenjang, Not Gochujang
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
As temperatures drop, Koreans crave steaming, spicy soups—one favorite is dongtae jjigae (frozen pollock stew). Dongtae is simply pollock (myeongtae) that’s been frozen; it’s low in fat, firm-fleshed, rich in B vitamins and selenium, and widely used in winter stews, pancakes, and braises. The recipe by cooking researcher Lee Jung-woong recommends rinsing thawed pollock in salted water to firm the flesh, and using doenjang (fermented soybean paste) rather than gochujang (red chili paste) to keep the broth clear and savory. Typical additions include radish, soybean sprouts, choysum (minari), crown daisy (ssukgat), green chili, and scallion; cook the radish first, add the fish, then the mixed seasonings, finish with sliced scallion and fresh herbs off the heat. Simple storage and thawing tips: keep dongtae well wrapped frozen, thaw slowly in cold water or fridge, and remove any green gall bladder from the entrails carefully.
