Hello?😊

Everyone, have you ever heard of Cheonggukjang, the traditional Korean food?

I got to know Cheonggukjang for the first time in a professor's class. What kind of food is Cheonggukjang?

Do you want to find out with me?!

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Cheonggukjang is one of Korea's traditional fermented foods, and is a type of soybean paste made by fermenting soybeans. It generally contains a higher proportion of soybeans than other types of soybean paste made by fermenting rice or barley. I tend to eat soybean paste stew, but I'm very curious about the taste of Cheonggukjang, which has a higher proportion of beans.

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Cheonggukjang is famous for its strong aroma and spicy taste. It is mainly used for soup dishes, and can be eaten with soybean paste soup or cheonggukjang stew. It is also enjoyed as a spicy soup dish by adding bulgogi or pork belly to miso soup. Cheonggukjang is rich in beneficial bacteria and dietary fiber that aid digestion, and is popular as a health food.

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I had a conversation with a Korean friend, and one friend said she liked the smell and taste of Cheonggukjang, and another said she hated it. Cheonggukjang has a spicy taste and unique strong scent, and is a food that people like and dislike.

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Also, since the taste and aroma of Cheonggukjang can vary depending on the fermentation time, method, and ingredients, I heard that even the same Cheonggukjang may have different tastes and aromas for each person.

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I asked my Korean friend, why do Koreans like soybean paste stew, the same fermented food, but dislike Cheonggukjang? Cheonggukjang has a strong scent, so some people say they don't like it.

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In other words, people who do not like Cheonggukjang often dislike its spicy taste and strong aroma, or the unique taste characteristics of soybeans used in Cheonggukjang.

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Then, when is Cheonggukjang usually eaten? Cheonggukjang is commonly referred to as one of Korea's representative winter soup dishes, and is a good food to eat warm soup and keep warm. In particular, it is famous as a food that is often eaten on special days such as Lunar New Year or Chuseok, which are traditional Korean holidays, or during cold winter weather.

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Cheonggukjang is mainly eaten as soybean paste soup or cheonggukjang stew, but there are a variety of cheonggukjang dishes. For example, there are Cheonggukjang Jjimdak, Cheonggukjang Hotpot, and Cheonggukjang Sundaeguk. Also, among the foods that use Cheonggukjang, there are Cheonggukjang Bulgogi and Cheonggukjang fried rice.

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Recently, not only dishes using Cheonggukjang, but also there are cases where Cheonggukjang is used instead of soy sauce to add a special taste to food. Cheonggukjang stir-fried noodles and Cheonggukjang fried rice are typical examples.

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By the way, Cheonggukjang is a healthy food because it contains various nutrients. Cheonggukjang provides various proteins and is rich in B vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

As a foreigner, I recommend that you try this kind of food once in Korea.