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So did you see Trader Joe’s now carries gochujang, the red pepper paste that’s core to many Korean recipes? I give them credit for moving beyond the Korean frozen/convenience foods they’ve had so far. The 250g container suggests it’s aimed for people who haven’t cooked with it before. So I thought I’d share some of my favorite ways to use it. Once you’ve had it, you’re gonna want a bigger container!
Deuki Hong’s Kimchi Fried Rice is my go-to version. It calls for making a gochujang butter, which I did the first time I made it, but now I just mix in a tablespoon of gochuchang after I add the rice. This recipe is also included in his cookbook, KOREATOWN. The kimchi jjigae from the book is great, too.
You might know Eric Kim as a food writer and columist at the New York Times. He’s also the author of the recently released cookbook KOREAN AMERICAN, where this recipe for Dakdoritang (Chicken and Potato Stew) comes from. And if stew makes you think of winter, it’s true this is great when it’s cold, but I wouldn’t rule it out for the summer.
This is an oldie but goodie from my own recipe collection. Gochujang turns it into Korean-inspired version of a slow cooker classic, Coca Cola Braised Pork. Great over rice, but you could also put it on a hamburger bun.
Originally inspired to make this after seeing Roy Choi’s Spicy BBQ Pork on The Chef Show (Netflix), I needed Hyosun’s help on the amounts for the marinade. Get the super thinly sliced pork at your local Asian market or ask your butcher to slice it for you.
Milk Street’s COOKISH cookbook offers up a paired back version of buldak, or fire chicken, which is very often topped with mozzarella cheese. I’m not much for cheese on chicken, so I made just the chicken and rice cakes themselves. Maangchi’s version includes the cheese.
Update 7/26: After I posted this, I realized I hadn’t included any vegetarian options! So here’s the Gochujang-Glazed Zucchini from Korean American by Eric Kim. It’s a super simple side dish and a great way to use up some summer zucchini. Salt the zucchini for a bit, then make a little scallion oil (it’s easy), cook up your zucchini and add the sauce. Done and done!