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Introduction of Gochujang
What
is Hot Pepper Paste?
Hot pepper paste (korean
name : gochujang) is a unique Korean food boasting
of an excellent harmony in nutrition, taste, and color.
Its savory taste and rich protein come from soybeans, the
primary ingredient, and its sweet taste comes from carbohydrates
contained in glutinous rice, ordinary rice, or barley, which
are also major ingredients. Powdered hot pepper gives it
a hot taste and red color, and its salty taste comes from
soybean sauce and salt
Hot pepper was first
introduced to Korea in the middle of the Yi Dynasty.
As hot pepper farming became common across Korea, Korean
people began to make hot pepper paste. They already had
the skill to process soybeans into soybean paste.
Korean people applied this food processing technology to
making hot pepper paste. Indeed, hot pepper paste was a
fusion food at that time because it combined the soybean
processing technology with the hot pepper, which was a new
food ingredient.
While western dressings are sometimes added
to vegetables, Korean hot pepper paste is used more widely
(in stews and sauces, as well as in vegetables). Hot
pepper paste has a short history, but it has gone
through many changes. Its use continually broadens as new
recipes are developed to meet the tastes of modern people
who prefer unique and spicy flavors.
What
is Hot Pepper Paste?
Hot pepper paste
was introduced to our diet later than soybean paste and
soybean sauce. Solely developed by Korean people, Hot
pepper paste is one of the native Korean seasonings.
Before hot peppers were introduced to Korea, Chojang, a
sauce used to produce hot taste, was made from sancho (Chinese
pepper), choncho, and hocho (black pepper). After hot peppers
were introduced, however, hot pepper paste replaced Chojang
in producing hot taste.
Hot pepper paste
is a traditional Korean food, developed in Korea after hot
peppers were introduced in the 16th century. As hot pepper
farming became common in Korea, hot pepper paste was made
by adding a hot taste to the mixture of existing soybean
paste and soybean sauce.
Hot pepper paste satisfies the appetite of Korean
people, who live on vegetables rather than on meat, so many
kinds of hot pepper paste have been developed.
Thanks to the wisdom of Korean ancestors,
ways to make Hot pepper paste
have continuously been developed. The primary ingredients
are fermented soybean powder and hot pepper powder.
They are mixed with glutinous rice to make "glutinous
rice hot pepper paste," with ordinary rice to make
"regular rice hot pepper paste," with kaoliang
to make "kaoliang hot pepper paste," with barley
to make "barley hot pepper paste," with wheat
to make "wheat hot pepper paste," and with red
beans to make "red bean hot pepper paste."
In addition, coarse fermented soybean powder
is mixed with coarse hot pepper powder to make "coarse hot
pepper paste." "Nurungji (scorched rice at the bottom of
the rice cooker) hot pepper paste" has also been developed,
and is loved by many people.