YELLOW SOYBEAN PASTE RECIPES

Steps:

• Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms in cool water, then put them in a bowl and add 300ml (1¼ cup) of warm water. Leave to soak at room temperature for about two hours, until soft. Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove and set aside the mushroom stems, then thinly slice the caps.
• Pour the soaking liquid into a small saucepan, add the reserved mushroom stems, then bring to the boil over a medium flame. Turn off the heat, add the yuksu or dashi bag and leave to infuse while preparing the other ingredients.
• Mince the onion and slice the garlic. Cut the bean curd into bite-size cubes. Quarter the Korean zucchini length­ways, then slice it thinly. Trim off and discard the woody lower part of the enoki mushroom stems. Break the enoki and shimeji mushrooms into small clumps. Slice the banana chilli on the diagonal into pieces about 3mm (?in) thick.
• Over a medium-low flame, heat a pot (preferably a Korean stone pot) that holds about 750ml (3 cups) and add the sesame oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion starts to soften, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the chilli flakes into the pot and stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
• Remove the mushroom stems and yuksu/dashi bag from the soaking liquid and pour 250ml (1 cup) of it into the pot, then add the doenjang. Bring to the boil, stirring often, making sure the doenjang is dissolved. Add the sliced shiitake mushroom caps, bean curd and zucchini and simmer until the squash starts to soften. Stir in the shimeji mushrooms and banana chilli and simmer for about two minutes. Add the enoki mushrooms and simmer until they start to soften.
• If using, crack the egg into a small dish. Move the ingredients in the pot to the sides to create a deep crater and slide in the egg, making sure to not break the yolk. Simmer for a few minutes until the egg is softly set.
• Mince the spring onion and scatter it over the stew. Serve immediately with steamed rice and banchan.