 | |
| Alternative names | Red chili paste |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Associatedcuisine | Korean cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Gochu-garu (chili powder),glutinous rice,meju-garu (fermented soybean powder) |
| Other information | HS code: 2103.90.1030 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 고추장 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 苦椒醬 |
| Revised Romanization | gochujang |
| McCune–Reischauer | koch'ujang |
| IPA | [kotɕʰudʑaŋ] |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Korean cuisine 한국 요리 조선 료리 |
|---|
.jpg) |
Drinks List of Korean drinks
|
Gochujang[a] orred chili paste[3] is a savory, sweet, and spicyfermentedcondiment popular inKorean cooking. It is made fromgochugaru (red chili powder),glutinous rice,meju (fermented soybean) powder,yeotgireum (barleymalt powder), and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured withsaccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process.[4] Traditionally, it would be naturally fermented over years injangdok (earthenware) on an elevated stone platform calledjangdokdae in thebackyard.
Shiyi xinjian (食醫心鑑), a mid-9th century Chinese document, recorded the Korean pepper paste as苦椒醬 (lit. 'pepper paste'). The second-oldest documentation of pepper paste is found in the 1433 Korean bookCollected Prescriptions of Native Korean Medicines.[5] Pepper paste is again mentioned in a 1445 medical encyclopedia namedCompendia of Medical Prescriptions.[6] However, all these sources are from the time before the actual chilli peppers were introduced to Korea.
Chili peppers, which originated in the Americas, were introduced to East Asia by Portuguese traders in the early 16th century.[7][8][9] There is mention of a type ofchili pepper brought to Korea found inCollected Essays of Jibong, an encyclopedia published in 1614.[10][11]Farm Management, a book fromc. 1700, discussed the cultivation methods of chili peppers.[12]
The history of Sunchang gochujang's becoming a regional specialty dates back to the 14th century at the start of the Joseon Dynasty era (1392–1910) when the founder Yi Seong-gye made gochujang from the Sunchang region a part of Korean palace cuisine.
When Yi Seong-gye, who went on to become the founder and first king of Joseon as King Taejo, was on a trip to Manilsa Temple to pray to the mountain god, he is said to have eaten a bowl of barleybibimbab (spicy mixed rice with vegetables) withgochujang that he found unforgettably delicious. He loved it so much that he ordered it served to the royal family when he became king. Thus Sunchanggochujang gained fame as a regional specialty.[13]
In the 18th-century books,Somun saseol (소문사설;謏聞事說) andRevised and Augmented Farm Management,gochujang is written asgochojang, using hanja characters苦椒醬 and古椒醬.[14][15] It is also mentioned thatSunchang County was renowned for itsgochujang production.[14] China and Japan, the countries with which Korea has historically shared the most culture and trade, do not include gochujang in their traditional cuisines.[citation needed]
Gochujang ingredients reported inJeungbo sallim gyeongje were 18 litres (19 US quarts) of powdered and sievedmeju (fermented soybeans), 540 mL (18+1⁄2 US fl oz) of chili powder, and1.8 L (1+7⁄8 U.S. qt) of glutinous rice flour, as well assoup soy sauce for adjusting the consistency.[15] The gochujang recipe inGyuhap chongseo, an 1809 cookbook, uses powderedmeju made from 18 L (19 US qt) of soybeans and3.6 L (3+3⁄4 US qt) of glutinous rice, then adding900–1,260 mL (30+1⁄2–42+1⁄2 US fl oz) of chili powder andbap made from 3.6 L (3.8 US qt) of glutinous rice.[16]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(December 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Gochujang's primary ingredients are red chili powder (고추가루;gochugaru),glutinous rice powder, powdered fermented soybeans, andsalt.Korean chili peppers, of the speciesCapsicum annuum, are spicy yet sweet, making them ideal forgochujang production. According to,[17] gochujang is typically made from 25% red pepper powder, 22.2% glutinous rice, 5.5% meju powder (60% cooked soybeans and 40% non-glutinous rice), 12.8% salt, 5% malt, and 29% water.
Other recipes use glutinous rice (찹쌀;chapssal), normal short-grain rice (맵쌀;mepssal), orbarley. Less common additions include whole wheat kernels,jujubes,pumpkin, andsweet potato. A small amount of sweetener, such as sugar, syrup, orhoney, is also sometimes added. The finished product is a dark red paste, with a rich, piquant flavor.
The making ofgochujang at home began tapering off when commercial production came into the mass market in the early 1970s. Now, most Koreans purchasegochujang at grocery stores or markets. It is still used extensively inKorean cooking to flavor stews (jjigae), such as ingochujang jjigae; to marinate meat, such as ingochujangbulgogi; and as a condiment fornaengmyeon andbibimbap.
Gochujang is also used as a base for making other condiments, such aschogochujang (초고추장) andssamjang (쌈장).Chogochujang is a variant of gochujang made by adding vinegar and other seasonings, such as sugar and sesame seeds. It is usually used as a sauce forhoe andhoedeopbap. Similarly,ssamjang is a mixture of mainly gochujang anddoenjang, with chopped onions and other spicy seasonings, and it is popular withsangchussam (상추쌈).
Gochujang hot-taste unit (GHU) is a unit of measurement for the pungency (spicy heat) of gochujang, based on thegas chromatography and thehigh-performance liquid chromatography ofcapsaicin anddihydrocapsaicin concentrations.[18]
Gochujang products are assigned to one of the five levels of spiciness: Mild, Slight Hot, Medium Hot, Very Hot, and Extreme Hot.[18]
| Extreme Hot | > 100 |
| Very Hot | 75–100 |
| Medium Hot | 45–75 |
| Slight Hot | 30–45 |
| Mild | < 30 |
Gochujang is used in various dishes such asbibimbap andtteokbokki, and insalads,stews,soups, and marinated meat dishes.[19] Gochujang may make dishes spicier (depending on thecapsaicin in the base chili), but also can make them sweeter and smokier.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)[permanent dead link]