Doenjang is a soy-based food consumed daily in Korean households. It is a soup base
used for regular broth-type soup (kook) and much thicker stew-type soup (jigae),
both of which are eaten with rice. Traditionally, most soybean-based fermented
foods are prepared once a year and kept up to 2 to 3 yr. The preparation starts in the
late fall with the natural fermentation of meju, which are solid blocks (size varies by
household, but approximately 20 × 15 × 10 cm) made from steamed soybeans. The
fermentation lasts for about 2 weeks. The product is then dried over the winter and
subjected to further fermentation in brine during the spring for 6 to 8 weeks. At the
end of the wet fermentation, doenjang (soybean paste, solid material) is separated
from ganjang (soy sauce, supernatant). It can be consumed after 30 to 50 days of
maturation; however, longer maturation is considered to produce a better flavor.