Gochujang

Gochujangorred chili pasteis a savory, sweet, and spicyfermentedcondimentpopular inKorean cooking. It is made fromgochu-garu(red chili powder),glutinous rice,meju(fermented soybean) powder,yeotgireum(barleymaltpowder), and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured withsaccharifyingenzymes during the fermentation process.Traditionally, it would be naturally fermented over years injangdok(earthenware) on an elevated stone platform calledjangdokdaein 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.Pepper paste is again mentioned in a 1445 medical encyclopedia namedCompendia of Medical Prescriptions.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.There is mention of a type ofchili pepperbrought to Korea found inCollected Essays of Jibong, an encyclopedia published in 1614.Farm Management, a book fromc.1700, discussed the cultivation methods of chili peppers.
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.
In the 18th-century books,Somun saseol(소문사설;謏聞事說) andRevised and Augmented Farm Management,gochujangis written asgochojang, using hanja characters苦椒醬and古椒醬.It is also mentioned thatSunchang Countywas renowned for itsgochujangproduction.China and Japan, the countries with which Korea has historically shared the most culture and trade, do not include gochujang in their traditional cuisines.
Gochujang ingredients reported inJeungbo sallim gyeongjewere 18 litres (19 US quarts) of powdered and sievedmeju(fermented soybeans),540 mL (18+1⁄2US fl oz) of chili powder, and1.8 L (1+7⁄8U.S. qt) of glutinous rice flour, as well assoup soy saucefor adjusting the consistency.The gochujang recipe inGyuhap chongseo, an 1809 cookbook, uses powderedmejumade from 18 L (19 US qt) of soybeans and3.6 L (3+3⁄4US qt) of glutinous rice, then adding900–1,260 mL (30+1⁄2–42+1⁄2US fl oz) of chili powder andbapmade from 3.6 L (3.8 US qt) of glutinous rice.
Gochujang'sprimary ingredients are red chili powder (고추가루;gochugaru),glutinous ricepowder, powdered fermented soybeans, andsalt.Korean chili peppers, of the speciesCapsicum annuum, are spicy yet sweet, making them ideal forgochujangproduction.  According to,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 ofgochujangat home began tapering off when commercial production came into the mass market in the early 1970s. Now, most Koreans purchasegochujangat grocery stores or markets. It is still used extensively inKorean cookingto flavor stews (jjigae), such as ingochujang jjigae; to marinate meat, such as ingochujangbulgogi; and as a condiment fornaengmyeonandbibimbap.
Gochujang is also used as a base for making other condiments, such aschogochujang(초고추장) andssamjang(쌈장).Chogochujangis a variant of gochujang made by adding vinegar and other seasonings, such as sugar and sesame seeds. It is usually used as a sauce forhoeandhoedeopbap. Similarly,ssamjangis 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 chromatographyand thehigh-performance liquid chromatographyofcapsaicinanddihydrocapsaicinconcentrations.
Gochujang products are assigned to one of the five levels of spiciness: Mild, Slight Hot, Medium Hot, Very Hot, and Extreme Hot.
Gochujang is used in various dishes such asbibimbapandtteokbokki, and insalads,stews,soups, and marinated meat dishes.Gochujang may make dishes spicier (depending on thecapsaicinin the base chili), but also can make them sweeter and smokier.