Korean Gochujang Chicken - Serving Dumplings (2024)

FAQs

How much gochujang do you use? ›

You'll often find gochujang in Korean dishes like bibimbap and bulgogi, as well as a number of stews and sauces. A little goes a long way with this umami-boosting ingredient. In the recipes below, only about a tablespoon or two of gochujang is called for, but you can always add more to suit your tastes.

Traditional Korean dishes that include gochujang are bibimbap, a mixed rice dish, tteokbokki, a spicy rice cake street food, and Jeyuk Bokkeum, a spicy marinated pork stir-fry.

On its own, gochujang is quite pungent, so it's usually mixed with other ingredients to balance its intensity. In Korea, it's typically stirred into marinades for meat, stews, and stir-fries, or cut with vinegar or oil so it can be served as a sauce.

If there tends to be a long time between uses, you might like to tightly wrap it in some clingfilm to help prevent it drying out. If you can't find a date on the box, try and use the paste within three months of opening, provided it is kept refrigerated.

Nutrition Facts for 1 tbsp (18 g)

Like miso, another fermented product, gochujang needs to be sealed and refrigerated after opening the package.

Use it as a base ingredient in Korean dishes, soups, stews and stir-fries. Its spicy flavour means it also works well as a marinade or with tacos and burgers.

Gochujang paste contains chili powder, fermented soybean powder, barley malt, glutinous rice, and salt. Gochujang sauce includes just a few other ingredients. The folks at Chili Pepper Madness recommend soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and some form of sugar, which could also include honey or maple syrup.

Is it good for your health? Fermented foods are naturally rich in probiotics that are beneficial for digestive health and helps in boosting metabolic rate, which helps in effective weight loss. Fermented soybeans in Gochujang makes it a great source of probiotics that can boost healthy gut microbiomes.

Can gochujang upset your stomach? ›

Spicy foods can also cause acid reflux in some individuals. If you experience negative symptoms after eating spicy foods, you may want to avoid gochujang and consider an acid reflux diet.

We use gochujang most often as a base for stews such as Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew), Dakgalbi (Spicy Korean Chicken Stir Fry) and Tteokbokki. It can also be used to amp up dipping sauces, bring savoury intensity to soups, and be slathered on as a marinade for meats such as Korean fried chicken.

It can last for one or two years. If there is white mould on top, scrape it off. Gochujang paste can be used as long as it is still bright red in colour. The paste can dry out over time, especially when stored in the fridge, so it is important to keep it tightly sealed.

Gochujang is usually sold in tubs and can be found in Asian markets and the international foods section many grocery stores. Once opened, gochujang should be stored in the refrigerator and can last for up to one year.

Sure, gochujang has heat — depending on the brand, it can be extraordinarily spicy — but it also has a salty, almost meaty depth and a slight sweetness. In other words, it's not a one-note hot sauce that you add to a dish after the fact. If you want to see Korean chefs bristle, tout gochujang as the “next Sriracha.”

(It's often used in recipes alongside kimchi, another beloved Korean condiment.) It's used in marinades in meat dishes or used to punch up soups and stews. We love the kick and depth of flavor that it adds to everything we stir it into.