Doenjang jjigae

Pasos

1. Rinse the rice until the water is almost clear, then cook it according to your usual method until tender and slightly sticky.
2. Slice the onion, mince the garlic, cut the potato into thin pieces, the zucchini into half-moons, the mushrooms into slices, and the tofu into even cubes.
3. Bring the water to a simmer in a wide pot, then dissolve the doenjang paste through a small fine-mesh strainer or directly with a whisk until you have a smooth, fragrant brown broth.
4. Add the potato, onion, and garlic, then simmer until the potato begins to soften and the onion becomes translucent.
5. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they release their water and the broth takes on a woodier aroma.
6. Add the zucchini and cook until pliable but still green, without letting it fall apart.
7. Gently slide the tofu into the pot and simmer over low heat until heated through to the center and the broth is bubbling gently around the cubes.
8. Taste the broth: it should be salty, fermented, and rounded; add a little water if it seems too overpowering, or a little dissolved paste if it seems too flat.
9. Serve the jjigae piping hot in bowls, with the white rice on the side to alternate bites of soup and bites of rice.