Copius
Guk-ganjang, drawn for Copius

Guk-ganjang ✦

Ganjang de soupe (guk-ganjang)

Latin nameGlycine max
FamilyCondiments & ferments
OriginKorea
Season (France)All year
FlavourSalty · Umami · Earthy
Typical price (France)8–16 €/L

What it is

It is the liquid poured off the meju jar, the same ferment that leaves doenjang behind, and it contains no wheat at all — the wheat-brewed style Koreans call waeganjang came later, from Japan. Cooks still name this one joseon-ganjang, the Korean soy, and keep it for soups where the broth has to stay pale.

In the kitchen

It is far saltier than Japanese shoyu — start at a third of the volume you would use of ordinary soy sauce and taste before adding more. It seasons, it should not colour: if the broth is going brown you have already used too much.

Goes with

Beef Spinach Garlic Toasted sesame oil Doenjang Daikon Egg Kombu

Same species

Chunjang Dark soy sauce Doenjang Douchi Edamame Fermented bean curd

Also used with

Perilla seed powder Gondre

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