Spinach Doenjang Soup: Green Wood in a 15-Minute Bowl

An everyday Korean soup of doenjang, tofu and spinach in anchovy broth. The app tags it Wood and Earth with an even nature, for spring, autumn and winter.

Elements	Wood · Earth
Good in	spring, autumn, winter
Suits	every constitution
Serves	2 · 15 min

Green Wood and fermented Earth

Spinach is the Wood (木) of the bowl. Green is the colour of Wood, and Wood is the element of spring and new growth, which is why the app says it lifts fresh energy. Mallow (auk), the suggested substitute, is another green leaf with the same reading.

Doenjang, the fermented soybean paste, is Earth (土). The app describes it as fermented Earth that settles the stomach. Tofu and the anchovy broth add a soft Water (水) layer underneath. In the generating cycle Water nourishes Wood (水生木), so the broth is read as feeding the greens, while the doenjang holds the centre.

Ingredients of Spinach Soybean Paste Soup (Sigeumchi Doenjangguk) and the element the app gives each
Ingredient	Amount	Element
Spinach	1 handful	Wood
Doenjang (soybean paste)	1.5 tbsp	Earth
Tofu	0.5 block	Water
Anchovy broth	4 cups	Water

Season and body type

The app lists this soup for spring, autumn and winter. Spinach is at its sweetest in the cool months, and a green soup in spring echoes the Wood season. Its nature is even, and the tradition says even dishes suit everyone, including people with balanced hot and cold tendencies.

This dish at a glance (haru app data)
Item	Value
Elements	Wood (木) + Earth (土)
Nature	even
Suits (tradition)	everyone (balanced hot and cold)
Seasons	spring, autumn, winter
Time	15 minutes
Serves	2

Swaps the app suggests

If an ingredient is missing or does not suit you, the app offers these alternatives, each with its own element:

Mallow (auk) instead of Spinach (Wood): Green Wood.
Salt and anchovy broth (1 tsp and 4 cups) instead of Doenjang (soybean paste) (Water): A light, plain seasoning.
Kelp water instead of Anchovy broth (Water): A broth of sea Water.

Ingredients

Spinach 1 handful (Wood)
Green Wood that lifts fresh energy.
Doenjang (soybean paste) 1.5 tbsp (Earth)
Fermented Earth that settles the stomach.
Tofu 0.5 block (Water)
Soft Water.
Anchovy broth 4 cups (Water)
A broth full of savoury depth.

How to make it

Bring the broth to a boil and dissolve the doenjang in it.
Cut the tofu into cubes, add it, and boil for 5 minutes.
Add the spinach, let it come back to a boil just once, and turn off the heat.

Questions

Why add the spinach last?

Spinach wilts in seconds. Boiling it only once keeps it green and tender.

How do I make anchovy broth?

Simmer a handful of dried anchovies, often with a piece of kelp, in water, then strain. Kelp water alone also works, as the app suggests.

Is doenjang the same as miso?

They are related fermented soybean pastes, but doenjang is usually saltier and more robust.

Solar terms in this season

Lichun 立春, Start of Spring Yushui 雨水, Rain Water Jingzhe 驚蟄, Awakening of Insects Chunfen 春分, Spring Equinox Qingming 清明, Clear and Bright Guyu 穀雨, Grain Rain Liqiu Chushu Bailu Qiufen Cold Dew Frost Descent

Yin-Yang and the Five Elements: The FoundationWhat yin-yang and the five elements mean in the East Asian calendar, how ten stems and twelve branches are sorted by them, and how a chart is counted.The Generating and Controlling Cycles of the Five ElementsHow the five elements feed one another in the generating cycle and keep one another in check in the controlling cycle, with two real days worked out.Lichun 立春, Start of Spring: dates, meaning and customsLichun, the Start of Spring, falls on 4 Feb 2026 at 05:02 KST. Why it starts the saju year, what stirs in nature, spring greens and old customs.Braised Tofu with Kelp: a Water and Earth Side DishTofu braised in kelp broth and soy sauce in 20 minutes. An even, year-round side dish the tradition reads as Water and Earth together.Garlic Chive Pancake (Buchujeon): a Spring Wood DishCrisp garlic chive pancake in 20 minutes with 1 cup of pancake mix and 1 egg. A warm Wood dish the tradition pairs with spring and summer.

See it for your chart → Open Haru

Traditional Four Pillars (myeongni) and yin-yang five-element interpretation. Not a medical diagnosis or advice.