Doenjang

Doenjang

Alternative names	Soybean paste
Type	Fermented bean paste
Place of origin	Korea
Region or state	East Asia
Main ingredients	Soybean,brine
Other information	Brewed along withganjang
Media: Doenjang

Korean name
Hangul	된장
Hanja	된 tương
Revised Romanization	doenjang
McCune–Reischauer	toenjang
IPA	[tøn.dʑaŋ]

Doenjang(Korean:된장;"thick sauce" ) orsoybean pasteis a type offermented bean pastemade entirely ofsoybeanandbrineused inKorean cuisine.It is also a byproduct ofsoup and soy sauceproduction. It is sometimes used as arelish.

History

The earliest soybean fermentations inKoreaseem to have begun prior to the era of theThree Kingdoms.TheRecords of the Three Kingdoms,aChinesehistorical text written and published in the third century AD, mentions that "Goguryeopeople are good at brewing fermented soybeans "in the section namedDongyi(Eastern foreigners)in theBook of Wei.Jangdoksused for doenjang production are found in themuralpaintings ofAnak Tomb No. 3from the 4th centuryGoguryeo.

InSamguk Sagi,a historical record of the Three Kingdoms era, it is written thatdoenjangandganjang,along withmejuandjeotgal,were prepared for thewedding ceremonyofKing Sinmunin February 683.Sikhwaji,a section fromGoryeosa(History of Goryeo),recorded thatdoenjangandganjangwere included in the relief supplies in 1018, after aKhitan invasion,and in 1052, when afamineoccurred.Joseontexts such asGuhwangchwaryoandJeungbo sallim gyeongjecontain detailed procedures on how to brew good-qualitydoenjangandganjang.Gyuhap Chongseoexplains how to pick a date for brewing, what to forbear, and how to keep and preservedoenjangandganjang.

Production

Further information:Meju § Preparation

dryingmeju

Doenjangis made entirely of fermented soybean and brine.Soup soy sauceis also made during thedoenjangproduction.

Meju,Koreansoybeanbrick, is made aroundipdongin early November. Soybeans are soaked overnight, boiled insalt water,and then pounded in a mortar (jeolgu) or coarsely ground in amillstone.About adoe(≈1.8litres) or twodoes of pounded soybean is chunked, compressed, and shaped into a cube or a sphere calledmeju.Themejubricks are then dried in a cool, shaded area for a week to several weeks until firm. When the bricks harden, they are tied withrice strawsto theeavesof the house, or put in the warmondolroom with rice straws, forfermentation.InJeongwol,the first month of thelunar year,well-fermentedmejubricks are washed andsun-dried.

After drying, themejubricks are aged inonggicrocks (jangdok) with brine. Charcoal and chillies are added for their absorbent and antibacterial properties, as well as folk-religious beliefs that they drive evil spirits away. When fermented well, the agedmejuchunks are mashed to becomedoenjang,and the filtrate is boiled to becomeganjang.

Types

Thoughdoenjangandganjangare usually made together,doenjangcan also be made without producing any filtrate.

• Tojang(Korean:토장) – When the aged brine is boiled to becomeganjang,the rest (agedmejuchunks) are mashed to becometojang.
• Jangjae(Korean:장재) – Smaller amount of brine is used from the beginning. No soy sauce is produced in the process, and themejuaged with the smaller amount ofbrinebecomesjangjae,another type ofdoenjang.

While traditionaldoenjangis made with soybeans and brine only, many factory-made variants ofdoenjangcontain a fair amount of wheat flour just like most factory-made soy sauce does. Some current makers also add fermented, dried, and groundanchoviesto accentuatedoenjang's savory flavor.Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety'sFood Codeclassifiesdoenjanginto three categories by their ingredients.

• Hansik-doenjang(Korean:한식된장,"Korean-style fermented soybean paste" ) –doenjangmade with traditional stylemejuand brine.
• Doenjang(Korean:된장,"fermented soybean paste" ) –doenjangmade with non-traditionalmeju(which can be made ofsoybean,rice,barley,wheatordegreased soybean,and ripened using traditional method orAspergillus) and saline solution.
• Seasoned doenjang(Korean:조미된장) – product that contains more than 90% ofdoenjangorhansik-doenjang.

Use

A bowl of homemadedoenjang jjigae

Doenjangcan be eaten as a condiment in raw-paste form with vegetables, as flavored seasoning or even as a dipping condiment. However, it is more commonly mixed with garlic,sesame oil,and sometimesgochujangto producessamjang,which is then traditionally eaten with or without rice wrapped inleaf vegetablessuch as red leaf lettuce. This dish is calledssambap.This combination of leaf vegetable anddoenjang(orssamjang) often complements popular Korean meat dishes such assamgyeopsal,bulgogi,bibimbapandBoss am.

It can also be used as a component of soup broth, as in the popular stewdoenjang jjigae,which usually includestofu,various vegetables such aschile peppers,zucchini,andscallion,and (optionally)mushrooms,red meat,orscallops.

Nutrition and health

Doenjangis rich inflavonoidsand beneficial vitamins,minerals,andplant hormones(phytoestrogens) which are sometimes claimed to possess anticarcinogenicproperties.In Korean traditional meals, the menu has concentrated on vegetables and rice, butdoenjang,which is made of soybeans, has a great deal of lysine, an essential amino acid that rice lacks.Linoleic acid(53% of the fatty acids) andlinolenic acid(8% of the fatty acids) have an important role in normal growth of blood vessels and prevention of blood vessel-related illness.Doenjang's efficacy still exists after boiling, in dishes such asdoenjang jjigae.

Claims are being explored about the role ofdoenjangin reducing visceral fat, though most studies have only been done on rodents.However, one study on humans does exist, which suggests that its visceral fat reduction properties are also present in humans.

Outside Korea

Doenjangis considered one of the essential sauces of authentic Korean cuisine. However, the condiment has historically been unknown outside of Korea, although recent international articles have resulted in an increase in its popularity. A 2007 Chinese article on the "Sauces of Korea" listeddoenjangandgochujangas essential flavorings, and explored the origins of the condiments, particularly focusing onSunchang County,where most Korean soy sauce is produced. The article pointed out thatdoenjangdoes not contain any artificial additives and in fact has healthy amounts of essential vitamins, such asvitamin Candvitamin B₁₂.The health benefits ofdoenjangare rumored to extend longevity, and this is illustrated by the fact that out of the 32,000 people in Sunchang County, eight are over 100 years old, and many are over 90. The article was influential throughout China, resulting in many Chinese restaurants addingdoenjang jjigaeto their menus shortly after publication. South Korea'sJoongAng Ilbocovered this story in China on December 13, 2007.

In culture

"Doenjanggirl"is a slang term for women who indulge in luxurious products to show off despite not being able to afford them, and eat low-priced basic food at home.

See also

• Cheonggukjang
• Dou gian g,fresh soy milk in Chinese cuisine
• Fermented bean paste
• Korean cuisine
• List of condiments
• List of fermented foods
• List of fermented soy products
• Miso
• Nattō
• Tương
• Yellow soybean paste

External links

• Different ways of consuming Doenjang (video)
• Photo of South Korea-produceddoenjang
• The history ofdoenjang
• Prof. Kun-Young Park,Pusan National University."Longer aging time increases the anticancer and antimetastatic properties of doenjang"(in Korean). ASA-IM Korea. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-12-05.Retrieved2007-11-26.
• "Regional doenjang"(in Korean). The Rural Development Administration of South Korea. Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2008.Retrieved2007-11-26.