More people are making their own jang at home. On social media, you can find many people who are boasting their homemade jang. Of course, they did not make it through a traditional method. Today’s method is simple and convenient, but with the flavor of the traditional jang.

Reference.    <Mother’s Cooking with Nature>, Bae Myungja, Sangsang Publishing 

Making It Easily with Store-bought Meju

The key ingredient of jang is meju (fermented soybean lump), but the process of making meju (fermented soybean lump) from steaming soybeans and drying and fermenting meju (fermented soybean lump) is not simple at all. So, it is more common to make jang after buying meju (fermented soybean lump) because it is simple and easy. 
Meju (fermented soybean lump) is largely divided into modernized meju (fermented soybean lump) and traditional meju (fermented soybean lump). Modernized meju (fermented soybean lump) is mass-produced with a certain quality by adjusting the temperature and humidity, and by using nuruk (yeast) fungus. Traditional meju (fermented soybean lump) is made in the traditional way, and has an authentic nutty aroma.

“Conveniently” with a Jang-making Kit

Using the jang-making kit is one of the ways in which today’s generation makes jang. A jang-making kit consists of meju (fermented soybean lump) powder, salt, and a fermentation container. All you have to do is add water into the ingredients, mix them evenly, and ferment it.
Nonghyup and agricultural companies sell the kit with their own recipes, and it is also available in online shopping malls or home shopping channels. In January, Korea’s leading convenience store company with an agricultural corporation sold a “doenjang-making kit,” targeting stay-at-home people for the first time in the industry. 
The reviews from people who made jang with the jang-making kit revealed a sense of satisfaction, based on personally making jang without any artificial flavors and synthetic additives. 

“Just Right” for My Family

Jang is a type of food that can be used for over a year. It is common to make large quantities when making it. However, nowadays, when the number of family members is decreasing and storage spaces are not often available, making jang could be a burden. 
The jang-making trend of today offers the quantity that is the right amount for the number of family members. With the decreasing number of family members, the quantity has significantly decreased. Thus, more cookbooks introduce how to make a small quantity of jang, which is in tune with the current trends. 
The following recipe is by Bae Myungja, the author of <Mother’s Cooking with Nature>, who presents how to make a small amount of gochujang (red chili paste) at home.