Kong jang is made with soybeans and Koreans eat it as a side dish for any meal. It’s a little sweet and sticky, like honey, and addictive to eat. You’re going to love it!
Soybean side dish (Kongjang or Kongjorim)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of soy beans, ½ cup of soy sauce, 1 ts of vegetable oil,
- 2 cloves of minced garlic,½ cup of sugar, ½ tbs sesame seeds.
Directions:
- Rinse 1 cup of soy beans and drain it and place in a skillet
- Add 2 cups of water in the skillet and soak the beans for 8 hours
- Boil the beans on the stove over medium high heat for 10 minutes
*Tip: about 5 minutes later, it may boil over, and then open the lid and turn down the heat over medium heat and cook another 5 minutes - Add ½ cup of soy sauce, 1 ts of vegetable oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and ½ cup of sugar and boil it over medium heat for 30 minutes (cover the lid)
- Open the lid of the pot and heat it up over high heat and stir the beans occasionally with a spoon until the beans look shinny.
*Tip: Beans will be submerged with shiny and sticky seasoning sauce - Turn off the heat and add 1 tbs of toasted sesame seed and cool it down.
- Transfer it into a container and keep it in the refrigerator
Hi Maangchi,
I got some questions after watching the video:
1. Can sesame oil replace vegatable oil for Kong Jang?
2. Is the Black Bean side dish cooked the same way as Kong Jang?
3. How long can Kong Jang stay in the fridge?
4. There is a huge variaty of Korean soy sauce in the store.
What exact brand/type/line of soy sauce do you use?
Thanks.
Agasuka,
My quick answer about your questions:
1. yes
2. yes
3. about 1 week
4. Mine was no name. The store
where I am going, seemed to
make their own package. I don’t
think dried soy beans’ brand
name is important.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Maangchi,
Which kind of Gan Jang (korean soy sauce) do you use? Do you use the same kind of soy sauce for all of your dishes including soup/stew?
Is it the red lable one with a letter S on it in plastic bottle? My korean roommate used this kind.
Hi,Agasuka,
Yes, I’m using “Sem pio” Soy sauce.
Say “I’m looking for Sem pio jin gaan jaang” at a korean grocery store.
I made these last night using your recipe and they turned out great!
hi,a.l.s
Thank you for updating your successful “Kong Jang”
Hi Maangchi,
I tried making these again, this time with a longer soaking, and they turned out much better. I soaked them overnight and then most of the day. In the video you were out of sesame seeds, but I added these and it really makes the dish even better. Now I’m addicted! Thank you, LM
Hi - I just found your blog and I can’t wait to try out some recipes.
For this recipe can you use the frozen beans? I have some in the freezer that I would like to use up. How would you adjust the cooking time?
Thanks.
I have never used frozen beans to make kongjorim side dish, so I can’t tell you how long it will take.
Hi Maangchi!
Thanks alot for this recipe~ :) i tried, love the test of it, like honey glazed. But is it supposed to be soft of chewy? mine is kind of chewy~ :P i wonder if it is right?
Amanda
Amanda,
Your kongjorim(kong jang: soybean side dish) is too chewy for you? Then soak soybeans longer than my recipe next time you make it again.
Some people love chewy and harder kongjang.
Thanks for your reply! :D as i never tasted kong jang before, i’m unsure of what it is suppose to taste like. :P so it all depends on personal preference! Thanks maangchi :D i love it the way it is with a slight bite~ and the sesame seeds! YUM!
Amanda
Amanda,
Next time you happen to eat at a korean restaurant, I’m sure you will have chance to taste kong jang. They usually serve as side dishes before serving main dish.
At our local Korean restaurant we get some type of black bean. I’m wondering if your recipe is the same or similar. Is there a recipe using black soy beans?
Janice,
Yes, you can make kong jorim (or kong jang) with black beans. Same recipe! Some people prefer black beans to soy beans when they make kong jo rim.
Hi Maangchi,
This is absolutely yummy! Thank you very much for sharing.
Wisteria
how do you make the soy bean to be softer?? i dont like it chewy :\
Kathy,
Soak soy beans in cold water longer about 10- 12 hours before cooking, and it will be soft.
This is one of my favorite panchans! Made it tonight, also added some ginger and chili pepper, delicious. Thanks Maangchi!
Qiu,
Thank you for the update. Wonderful!
This dish tastes really different to my western taste buds. Different but nice. A small tip for the ones of you who try this for the first time - do not judge the final result from the taste during cooking! Only when almost all fluid is gone, the soy and sugar sticks to the beans and fulfill the taste. Also, I found the cooking vapor kind of ehhh not so nice? However, as aldready stated - great result in the end.
Your small tip could be a big help. Thanks!
I’ve been looking for this recipe for so long! Will definitely try making this! Thanks so much!
oh, Maria Maria! : )
Let me know how your kongjorim turns out,
Dear Maangchi,
How long could I normally keep the side dishes in the fridge? I normally make spinach side dish and potatoes.
By the way, could you teach us some other simple to make side dishes? My husband is a korean and I would like to make some for him.
Thank you in advance.
Cheers,
Sagua
I always finish eating vegetable side dishes in a day, but you can keep it in the fridge for a few days.
Sure, more side dish recipes will be posted soon. Thanks,
Just finished making a batch of kongjang tonight. My partner asked me what I was making and I told him Korean candied soybeans. Also made some oi kimchi. I think these will go great with some Jasmine rice tomorrow night for dinner.
james,
Korean candied soybeans! It sounds like good translation! Once your partner heard the word “candy”, he must have already liked it. : )
Yeah, oisobagi and kongjang with jasmine rice will be a decent meal. If you add soup, it will be a perfect Korean meal.
I should post some soup recipes.
Hi Maangchi I made this successfully. thanks for your recipe. xxx
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/London-samwei/article?mid=9279
samwei,
Thank you for posting my recipe on your blog! I’m going to link to your website from my website.
I used to buy this side dish at a local food store before but never figured out how it is made. Got around to try this dish since it’s a fave of my hubby. And not to mention that it’s something that we can both enjoy since it’s not spicy at all. Tried a small part of it at first successfully and made more since hubby really liked it and demanded I make some more. This I have to oblige.
This got me hooked on soybean stuff recently. I’m into making soy milk, tofu and even thinking of soy yogurt now. Ah..one at a time.
BIG thank you for this recipe. No pics for now though. I can’t find the pic that I took.
THANK YOU,THANK YOU!
wow, you are soybeans lover! good! It’s good for our health. I’m going to post the recipe for soybean cold noodles (kong gooksu) this summer. You will love it. thank you!
Hi Maangchi, Thank you for the recipe. I used peanuts instead of soybeans and it turned out good. But there is a problem, are the sauce supposed to be thick because the peanuts seem to be too sticky (maybe I cook it too long). Thank you again.
very nice! If it turned out too sticky, use less corn syrup, maybe 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup?
Have you any tips for using anything besides soybeans? Once in a restaurant I had it made with barley and the texture it gave the grain was wonderful - I assume I’d have to adjust the water but if you have any experience I’d be grateful!
Hi Maangchi,
could you kindly let me know how to make Root Lotus sidedish. I tried in korean cusine before, it was yummy.
thks
Ven