Kongjang (or kongjorim) is made with dried soybeans and Koreans eat it as a side dish for any meal. It’s sweet, chewy and sticky.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Rinse the soy beans in cold running water. Drain and put them in a pan.
  2. Add 2 cups of water to the pan and soak the beans for 8 hours.
  3. Cover and boil the mixture of beans and water over medium high heat for 10 minutes. If it boils over, crack the lid.
  4. Add soy sauce, sugar, vegetable oil, and garlic. Stir a few times with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
  5. Open the lid and turn up the heat to medium high heat, stirring with with wooden spoon until the beans turn shiny and a little wrinkly.
  6. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Let cool and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 month.

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98 Comments:

  1. Hi

    Thank you for the great recipe. This is my first going to your web site and you have almost every recipe that I have been searching for. The soybean sidedish is the first one that I am trying to cook. I have one question. After I boiled the soybean during the first 5 minutes in high heat, the skin of the soybean came off. From your video I didn’t see that happen to your soybean. Please advise. Thanks again for the outstanding web site. Zoe

    • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

      hello, Zoe,
      Thank you for your nice comment!

      How many hours did you soak the soybeans?

      Next time you make this side dish again, soak them less hours than you did.

      Usually soaked soybean skins are not separated unless you scrub them. I’m showing how to remove skins of soybeans in my kongguksu video. https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kongguksu

      • Hi Maangchi,

        Wow, thanks for the speedy reply! I wished I had seen your reply before I started picking the skin with chopsticks. lol. I am actually trying two of your recipes today. The other one is Sikhye (barley malt drink). I am now in the process of waiting for the fermented barley water to cool down so I can put it in my refrigerator to enjoy soon. One question though, my barley water and rice turned out to be darker in color than yours. Is it because I did not filter the barley water enough? Also, the rice looks smush. Once again, I am so excited to try all your recipes. Btw, you look very beautiful and talented in all your videos. Your family must very lucky to have such a great chef. Bravo!!! Fondly, Zoe

        • Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

          Zoe,
          For kongjorim recipe, don’t remove the skins of soybeans.

          “my barley water and rice turned out to be darker in color than yours. Is it because I did not filter the barley water enough? Also, the rice looks smush.”

          It sounds like your shikye is well made! Grayish color is very normal! You can add more water to your shikhye to dilute if you like clear shikhye. If so, you will have to add more sugar, too.

          The rice in shikhye turned out mushy? I think you fermented the rice too long.

          Good luck with your Korean cooking!

  2. 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

  3. 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!

  4. 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.

  5. 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!

  6. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    samwei,
    Thank you for posting my recipe on your blog! I’m going to link to your website from my website.

  7. Hi Maangchi I made this successfully. thanks for your recipe. xxx

    http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/London-samwei/article?mid=9279

  8. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    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.

  9. 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.

  10. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    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,

  11. 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

  12. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    oh, Maria Maria! : )
    Let me know how your kongjorim turns out,

  13. I’ve been looking for this recipe for so long! Will definitely try making this! Thanks so much!

  14. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Your small tip could be a big help. Thanks!

  15. 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.

  16. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Qiu,
    Thank you for the update. Wonderful!

  17. This is one of my favorite panchans! Made it tonight, also added some ginger and chili pepper, delicious. Thanks Maangchi!

  18. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    Kathy,
    Soak soy beans in cold water longer about 10- 12 hours before cooking, and it will be soft.

  19. how do you make the soy bean to be softer?? i dont like it chewy :\

  20. Hi Maangchi,

    This is absolutely yummy! Thank you very much for sharing.

    Wisteria

  21. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    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.

  22. 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?

  23. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    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.

  24. 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

  25. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    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.

  26. 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

  27. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    I have never used frozen beans to make kongjorim side dish, so I can’t tell you how long it will take.

  28. 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.

  29. 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

  30. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    hi,a.l.s
    Thank you for updating your successful “Kong Jang”

  31. I made these last night using your recipe and they turned out great!

  32. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    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.

  33. 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.

  34. Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,045 comments

    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!

  35. 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.

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