This bright red chili is a staple for Korean cuisine and Korean-inspired dishes but it’s flavor profile can be use on several recipes to provide a spice that’s both sweet and smoky.
WHAT IS GOCHUGARU?
This medium-hot crushed red chili pepper is a key ingredient in traditional Korean cooking, including kimchi and barbequed meats. This bright red chili can be found as a fine powder or as flakes. You will find gochugaru (gochu = chili pepper and garu = powder) as a common spice found in Korean side dishes, soups and stews like kimchi jigae or in soondubu (soft tofu stew). But traditional Korean food isn’t the only cuisine you can use gochugaru. Use it on other food recipes that use crushed red pepper like spaghetti sauce, pizza or sprinkle it on popcorn.
WHAT DOES GOCHUGARU TASTE LIKE?
Gochugaru has a smoky, sweet and spicy taste all at the same time. The chili’s spice is in the medium-hot range that is great for an entry level into spice.
FLAVORS THAT GO WITH GOCHUGARU:
Add some more flavor to your meals with these herbs and spices. They go great with Gochugaru.
- Ginger: The very finest ginger comes from small holder farmers on one to two acre plots of land off the Malabar Coast of India. Ginger has enjoyed some unusual uses, including warding off the plague during Henry VIII’s time. In the 19th century, ginger was commonly sprinkled on top of beer or ale and then stirred into the drink with a hot poker. Today, ginger is an essential ingredient in all kinds of sweet and savory dishes.
- Garlic: McCormick partners with family owned farms to grow garlic that can be used as powder or minced. It adds instant flavor into whatever you’re cooking because our bottles contain garlic and only garlic, and nothing else. Garlic is a member of the lily family, native to Central Asia and cousin to leeks, chives, onions and shallots. It’s the most pungent of the lilies, with a strong flavor and aroma. Unless you’re using it to ward off vampires, as people have done since the 1700s, it pays to use allium sativum with a gentle hand.
- Sesame Seeds: Toasted sesame seeds’ golden color and nutty flavor are perfect for encrusting chicken and fish. Add to Asian stir-fries, rice and noodles. Sprinkle on salads and vegetables.
- Chives: A small grass-like perennial plant belonging to the onion family. They are aromatic, hardy, and grow in clumps of slender, onion like tubular leaves with lavender flowers in the spring.
- Onion: Onion powder makes it easy to add savory richness to just about any dish - from dips to soups, sauces, vegetables, chicken and burgers.
EXPLORE GOCHUGARU!
AND TRY THESE RECIPES THAT USE GOCHUGARU:
- Korean Burgers with Gochugaru BBQ Sauce and Kimchi Slaw
- Korean Pork Dumplings with Gochugaru Dipping Sauce
- Bulgogi
LEARN MORE ABOUT SPICES
- 5 (Almost) Magical Spice Pairings You Need To Try Right Now
- 5 Types of Hot Sauce to Spice Up Your Diet
- Tips & Tricks for Organizing Your Spice Cabinet
- How Long Do Spices Last?
TRY SOME OF OUR OTHER FAVORITE CUISINES
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