Gangdoenjang Gaji Gui (v) Recipe

Make the sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together doenjang, gochujang, light soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and sugar until smooth. Stir in minced garlic, minced ginger, and water or vegetable broth to loosen the paste to a brushable consistency (about the thickness of thick pancake batter). Add toasted sesame seeds and black pepper, then taste and adjust balance — add 1/2 teaspoon more sugar if too salty, or extra 1 tablespoon water if too thick.

Reserve 3 tablespoons of the sauce in a small bowl for basting during grilling; keep the rest to brush generously on vegetables before and during cooking.

Prepare vegetables

Wash all vegetables. Trim the eggplants and slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch (1.2 cm) thick planks. For larger globe eggplants, cut into long 3–4 inch pieces. Salt the eggplant slices lightly on both sides (about 1/4 tsp total per eggplant) and let sit in a colander for 10 minutes to draw out bitterness and moisture; pat dry with paper towels after 10 minutes.

Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds or lengthwise planks similar to eggplant. Core and slice the red bell pepper into wide strips. Peel and cut the onion into 1/4-inch rounds or wedges. Slice shiitake mushrooms. Trim and cut scallions into 2–3 inch lengths, keeping whites and greens together.

Brush with oil and sauce

Lightly brush both sides of all prepared vegetables with neutral oil. Then brush a thin layer of the doenjang sauce on one side of each vegetable piece. Reserve thicker coating of sauce for a final glaze during grilling. The reserved 3 tablespoons will be used for basting once vegetables begin to char.

Preheat and choose cooking method

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F / 200°C). If using a stovetop skillet, heat a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high and add the neutral oil to coat. Make sure the surface is hot so vegetables get good color and caramelization.

Grill eggplant first

Place eggplant slices on the hot grill or pan, sauce side down first. Cook 3–4 minutes without moving until deep grill marks and the sauce has caramelized. Flip and brush the cooked side with reserved sauce, then cook another 2–3 minutes until the eggplant is tender and fully cooked (eggplant should be soft and slightly creamy). If slices are thicker, cook up to 5 minutes per side.

Grill remaining vegetables

Add zucchini, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and scallions to the grill. Cook zucchini rounds 2–3 minutes per side until tender and charred. Grill bell pepper strips 3–4 minutes per side until blistered. Cook onion wedges 3–4 minutes per side until translucent and charred at edges. Sear mushrooms 2–3 minutes per side until juices release. During the last minute of grilling each item, brush both sides lightly with the reserved sauce to build flavor and glaze. Sprinkle the salt evenly over vegetables while grilling (about 1/2 tsp total).

Finish and rest

Transfer grilled vegetables to a platter. Drizzle optional 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil over everything for aroma. Sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallion greens (reserve some earlier) for garnish.

Serve

Serve hot with romaine or perilla leaves for wrapping. To eat, place a piece of grilled eggplant or mix of vegetables on a leaf, add a small spoonful of extra doenjang sauce if desired, wrap and enjoy. Leftover sauce can be served on the side for dipping.