Tips For Cooking With Gochujang The Best Gochujang Recipes That Embrace The Sweet And Spicy Be warned though – the ingredients will usually be in Korean, so you may need to try a couple of brands before finding one you like.Ĭheck out some of our other Korean recipes:īest Korean Stew Recipes You Can Make At Home If you’re looking to try this Korean hot sauce, look for the small red plastic tubs with chili peppers on the label. You’ll find gochujang in Korean grocery stores, on Amazon and in the international aisle of many major supermarket chains. Unlike other hot sauces, you do need to cook Korean chili sauce one or at least mix it with other ingredients! But, this is one of the tastiest chili sauces and provides a fabulous mix of sweet and spicy to any dish. Now, reading that list of ingredients for gochujang above, I can understand people being hesitant. As the ingredients break down, starches in the rice and soybeans convert to sugars, and create a residual sweetness common to many Korean recipes. This thick, spicy sauce is made from a mixture of red chili pepper flakes, fermented soybeans, glutinous ‘sticky’ rice, and salt. Gochujang is a staple ingredient in Korean cooking. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Even if you’re sensitive to spice, gochujang is a great way to add an extra dimension to your cooking. One of the key ingredients in Korean cuisine, gochujang sauce creates a sweet, spicy, and umami base that lifts and enriches traditional flavors for an unforgettable experience. If you’re looking to try your hand at Korean cooking, you simply have to try Korean gochujang recipes. Gochujang maintains the health benefits of red chili peppers, containing an abundance of beta-carotene and vitamin C that have antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects.No matter your culinary expertise, it’s always a good idea to keep your pantry well-stocked with spices and pastes to elevate any meal from ordinary to extraordinary.Research suggests that Capsaicin can aid in reducing body fat, and that this effect increases as Gochujang is matured for longer periods of time. Capsaicin, a naturally occurring compound responsible for the spicy taste of red chili peppers, is also a big component of Gochujang.This makes Gochujang a great digestive aid, especially when consumed with other foods such as meat. Gochujang contains the digestive enzymes amylase-which breaks down starches, and protease-which breaks down proteins.Making Gochujang involves similar processes, suggesting shared origins.

The Jeungbo Sallim Gyeongjae, a historical Korean document on agriculture from the 18th century, describes the consumption of Maljang powder-made from beans-with red chili powder, after ripening in the sun. The popularity of the red chili paste quickly spread throughout the country, its uses becoming diverse, as it was used to add spiciness not only to cooked dishes but also to other Jangs such as Doenjang and Ganjang. The first use of Gochujang in Korean cuisine can be dated back to the 16th or early 17th century. Sundried Red Chilli Pepper / Photo Credit: busangonggam.kr The spicy yet sweetly savory flavoring of Gochujang is prominent in dishes such as Bibimbap, Topokki, marinated meats and various stews in Korea. Gochujang is a commonly found ingredient of many well-regarded Korean dishes and it is also consumed in conjunction with certain foods.

Of the health-benefiting components found in Gochujang is capsaicin, which emerged in popularity in the food and health industry in the recent years for its antibacterial and anticarcinogenic effects. Containing abundant nutrients including protein, vitamin B2, vitamin C, carotenes and more, Gochujang has been registered with the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an organization that aims to maintain and promote food quality on an international level. Gochujang is a Korean hot chili paste made by naturally fermenting sun-dried red chili powder, sweet rice, soy beans and salt while contained in large earthen pots called Onggi.

Korean chili paste