This is called Hobak-jang(호박장).
Some people in Korea call it Hobak-jjigae (호박찌개 – zucchini stew), but honestly, it’s a totally different thing. Hobak-jang uses Korean round squash instead of zucchini, and it’s not soupy like jjigae at all.
My mom used to make this for me all the time when I was a kid, but even as a Korean, I’ve literally never seen it in any restaurant. I think it’s more of a traditional, regional dish from where she lives.
The point is: no meat, just dried anchovies or dried shrimp for the base flavor. Then you chop the squash into big chunks and simmer it for a long time until it gets super soft. You can mash and mix this with cooked rice to eat, which I guess is why it’s called “-jang” — kind of like gochujang or ssamjang, where it acts more like a ‘sauce’ for rice.
Since I got married and moved out, I haven’t had it at all. Even when I follow my mom’s recipe exactly, it just… doesn’t taste the same. She’s always busy and lives far away, so I rarely get to see her.
Has anyone here in Korea actually had this before?
Kinda funny, but most Koreans I meet only know pasta restaurants and have no clue about traditional Korean places :/
by Sea-Device-1802
9 Comments
I grew up eating hobak chigae at home, a lot of times without meat. But never ate it the way you described, mixing the rice and mashing the hobak. Either way, sounds good!
Thanks for sharing this! It seems to be a regional thing, I’ve never heard of it myself and it seems like it’s not a big thing on the internet either! I guess stylistically it’s almost like a hobak jorim? I found this video on youtube but that seems to be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbhfiJNjMaw
I’ve had it when I was younger. Key lies in using korean 애호박 which brings tender sweetness. From my memories, it looks thicker than the image shown here. I’ve had both variations, deonjang and gochujang.
Hobak, my love. <3 I had this at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Gaeopo-dong and it felt like the best thing that had ever happened to me.
Oooh, never seen this before, but I’d *absolutely* house that.
I don’t remember the name of it, but is this like some kind of doenjang jjigae thats really dense and thick that you mix into rice?
A meatless Korean dish? Sounds great. Can you share the recipe?
Sounds so good 🙂
Yes! My mum made it all the time when I was little, which I thought was kind of weird because my paternal grandmother would cook 95% of our meals, so maybe it is a regional thing?? My mum grew up in the countryside of Korea and my paternal grandma was from Seoul.