How To Make Korean Chili Paste

I'm thrilled to introduce you to my homemade Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang) recipe today. Aye, eventually! Over the years so many of my readers and viewers accept requested the recipe forgochujang, but I idea I couldn't brand information technology until I visited Jamie Frater'southward business firm in New Zealand during my Gapshida trip last twelvemonth. To brand good, well-fermented gochujang, you lot need good quality ingredients, an earthenware pot to brand it in, and a sunny place for it to ferment. Making gochujang is easy, simply taking care of it requires lots of patience and difficult piece of work.

Gochujang needs directly sunlight, so after y'all brand it you demand to open the earthenware pot on sunny mornings to allow the sunlight striking it, and be certain to comprehend information technology in the evening. You have to stir it sometimes and plough information technology over from the bottom to the top and so that it'll exist mixed and fermented evenly. As fourth dimension goes on, your gochujang will turn shiny and plough a richer red. If you get outside to see your friend simply it all of a sudden rains and you forgot to close the lid, your gochujang will be spoiled.

As well this, gochujang should not exist made in the oestrus of summertime or information technology will ferment too fast and explode. One of my Korean friends studying in the Us brought a container filled with his mother's homemade gochujang on the airplane. He took it in his carry on. A long time ago, information technology was possible for people to bring gooey stuff similar hot pepper paste, soybean paste, and fifty-fifty kimchi on an airplane. Nosotros have and so many funny stories well-nigh this.

So my friend'southward gochujang exploded on the airplane. Store bought gochujang is processed to stop fermenting, but homemade gochujang never stops, just like kimchi. The gas from the fermentation process kept pushing the hat of the container until information technology blew upwardly. My friend'south female parent must have packed it tightly with plastic numberless and tape.

I'g living in an apartment in Manhattan without a patio, so information technology seemed impossible for me to make something that needs lots of direct sunlight to ferment well. Well-fermented gochujang is really delicious, and a totally unlike flavor from gochujang bought in a store. For a delicious meal you tin but mix it with warm rice, chopped kimchi, and toasted sesame oil.

So on my Gapshida trip, Korean food fan Jamie Frater invited me to his house to cook together. We filmed my popcorn chicken gizzard recipe video and the next day nosotros filmed thisgochujang video. The cameraman, Ryan Sweeney, is also a big fan of Korean food.

Jamie was waiting for me with all the ingredients for gochujang also every bit Korean earthenware pots: onggi. He brought these from a trip to Korea that he won in a Korean nutrient blog competition 2011 on the basis of his Korean food writing.

This Koreangochujang was made in New Zealand and taken care of by Jamie for months. It's really international!

gochujang

Makes almost xvi quarts

Ingredients

two pounds of barley malt powder (yeotgirem)
water
10 cups of sweetness rice flour
8 cups of rice syrup
4 cups (1½ pounds) of fermented soybean powder (mejugaru)
16 cups (1.6 kg) of hot pepper pulverisation
iv cups of kosher salt

Directions

Mix 8 liters (32 cups) of water and 2 pounds of barley malt powder (yeotgireum) in a big basin
Strain the mixture and put it in a big heavy bottomed pot.
Heat information technology up on the stove for about twenty minutes until information technology's warm. Dip your finger in to test it: it should be warm, not hot.
Remove it from the heat and add sweet rice flour. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
Let information technology sit for 2 hours. The liquid on the surface volition wait a lot clearer, and it will sense of taste a piffling sweet.
Bring to a boil for well-nigh 2 hours over medium high oestrus, until it reduces by ¼-⅓ (well-nigh 28-30 cups).
*tip: Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so it doesn't burn to the lesser of the pot.
Add together the rice syrup and mix well.
Remove from the oestrus and expect until it completely cools downwards.
Add mejugaruand mix well. And then add together hot pepper pulverization and mix well. Lastly add salt, and stir until there are no lumps in the paste.
Transfer it to an earthenware pot or glass jar and cover with mesh or cheesecloth earlier endmost the lid.
It will take about two-3 months to properly ferment. During that time information technology's best to open up the lid and let it sit in the sunlight during the daytime, and close it at night.

Jamie updated me recently virtually his gochujang with a few photos and emails. I missed the gochujang a lot! Jamie loves the texture and flavour of it, which made me very happy. Thank you very much Jamie for your effort taking care of the gochujang and updating us! Many of my readers will be encouraged to make their own homemade gochujang because of him.

He emailed:

"The gochujang came out great! It is a little thicker than commercial gochujang merely I don't call up that is a problem at all. The flavour is deeper and slightly less salty than store bought pepper paste which is good I think. The hot New Zealand summer sun took bully care of our precious paste! I can't wait to run across our video! I have attached v of the best photos I took of the gochujang."

gochujang