Gochujang: Whenever I watch Korean dramas, my focus is very much on the character, the story and the food. One thing I learned in the meantime is that Koreans love noodles they call ramen. Along with this, I also came to know about dishes like spicy chicken, taoboki, corn dogs, etc. by watching K-drama.
I noticed that they use a special kind of sauce to make some spicy things. The chili paste they use is thick called gochujang. It is the base sauce of many Korean dishes. It is also used in marinating meats, soups and kimchi etc.
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is prepared from Korean chillies and is made from the process of fermentation. Along with chillies, it uses glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder and salt as well as a yeast called koji. Its consistency is thick and its color is very red. It has a spicy, mildly sweet and umami flavor. Due to fermentation, its taste also seems a bit tight.
How to use Gojujung
This sauce is used in many Korean dishes. It is used to make dakgalbi, jige, taobokki, bulgogi and spicy chicken. Apart from this, Koreans also use it as a dipping sauce.
This samjang (Ssamjang is a thick, spicy paste used in Korean cuisine with leefi food.) It is also used as a main ingredient for making.
Where did the name Gochujang come from?
Gochujang is a fermented chili paste made by mixing ground chili and other ingredients. The special type of chilli used for this is called Gochugaru. Gochugaru is known for its pungent taste and is one of the most important ingredients in Korean dishes. Its different varieties are also less sharp to faster. Its color is quite vibrant and its flavor can be spicy from smokey.
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How to store gochujang?
Generally, fermented foods have a long shelf life and gochujang is also a fermented sauce. It does not need to be kept in the fridge, but if you are keeping it in the fridge, make sure that you keep it well closed. In this way this sauce can comfortably last for 1 to 2 years. It doesn’t get worse, but it can dry quickly. At such a time, you can put 1-2 drops of oil in it. It may be more likely to dry out in the fridge, so be sure to keep it tightly sealed.
What is its substitute?
If you don’t get this tart sauce, you can use it by combining red miso sauce, sriracha, chili paste and red pepper flake paste. It will not taste like Gochujang, but will be quite close to it. Use it to give your food a delicious smokey, tart, tangy flavor.
