Soy-Braised Vegetable Jjim (Korean Vegetable Stew)

By Kay Chun

Published Feb. 16, 2022

Soy-Braised Vegetable Jjim (Korean Vegetable Stew)
Yunhee Kim for The New York Times. Food Stylits: Victoria Granof.
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(553)
Comments
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Inspired by Korean kalbi jjim (braised short ribs), this satisfying vegetarian one-pot meal features cremini mushrooms alongside hearty potatoes, squash, carrots and Korean radishes. The vegetables braise and release sweet juices into the pot, creating a deep, savory sauce infused with fragrant garlic and ginger. Since this stew is all about the vegetables, treat them well by cooking it in the oven. It’s gentler on the vegetables, which have a tendency to fall apart when cooked over direct, aggressive heat. Vibrant orange kabocha squash has a rich, firm flesh, but lighter butternut squash is a good alternative. Leftovers can be transformed into a versatile tasty ragù: Simply chop the vegetables, simmer with crushed tomatoes and finish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
  • 8ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved or quartered if large
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 3scallions, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 2tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2teaspoons minced fresh peeled ginger
  • ¾cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 3tablespoons turbinado sugar or 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1½pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1pound Korean radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1pound kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 8ounces large carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
  • Steamed rice, for serving
  • Kimchi and toasted sesame oil, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

492 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 83 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 1827 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallions, garlic and ginger, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, potatoes, radish, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 cup of water, and mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat.

  2. Step 2

    Cover and bake for 15 minutes, then stir in squash and carrots until well incorporated. Cover and bake until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes longer.

  3. Step 3

    Gently stir to evenly coat the vegetables in the sauce. Divide the stew in bowls and garnish with scallions. Serve with rice and kimchi, and drizzle with sesame oil, if using.

Ratings

4 out of 5
553 user ratings
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Comments

Richard

Just based on the soy sauce alone, this comes to about 1,600 mg sodium per serving. The recipe recommends seasoning the mushrooms with salt while cooking, and if you also add the optional kimchi, this would add lots of additional sodium. 1,600 mg of sodium is what I aim for in terms of one day's total intake. Whatever your limits, be forewarned that this dish is a "sodium bomb." You might want to start with lower amounts of soy sauce and with no salt, and then adjust accordingly.

Zach

Delicious base flavors that allow for easy substitution of other root vegetables (though, definitely stick with kabocha squash.) The carrots and squash needed a bit longer to cook, so I recommend throwing those in a bit earlier. I also found it slightly over-salted and would cut the soy sauce to 1/2 cup. Toasted sesame seeds added a crunch that complemented the soft root vegetables.

Ann in Long Beach

Some tricks: Kabochas are easiest to peel when cut in half with your strongest knife, then attacked with a potato peeler. Scoop out seeds and cut into chunks to roast or stew. BUT you can also just wash the outside and then put the whole uncut, unpeeled squash into a 425-degree oven and bake until easily pierced with a fork, at which point you take it out, let it cool, cut it in half, and scoop out the seeds and then flesh. OR you can not peel it, as the peel is edible - just darkens the stew.

Beasley

I followed the recipe as written and absolutely loved it. Not too salty if you follow the author's instructions and use reduced sodium soy and the total amount of vegetables. The kabocha is essential and the variety of vegetables balance each other really well.

Sharon

I made this without the baking step, just braised the veggies in the pot. I also skipped potatoes as we didn't have any. On the advice of commenters I used less soy sauce and I also put in less water since I didn't have quite as much without the potatoes. Turned out very tasty and my friends loved the contrast of the various components.

Shira T

Simple, excellent, and warming! I used regular mushrooms (thick-sliced) and replaced 1/4 cup of the soy sauce with water.

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