Description
Gochujang is a Korean sauce or condiment made using chilli peppers, sticky rice powder, and soya beans.
The sauce is fermented for a tangy, savoury, and sweetish flavor that is unique and interesting.
The process of fermentation not only enhances the taste and color of the Gochujang, but also adds tons of wellbeing benefits to it.
Ingredients
Scale
- Korean malt powder – ¾ cup. This is readily available in Korean stores and is an essential ingredient of homemade Gochujang.
- Water – 2 ½ cups
- 1 cup sweet or glutinous rice flour. This is flour made from short-grained rice.
- 1 cup Korean chilli powder (gochugaru)
- ½ cup fermented soybean powder
- Kosher salt – ½ cup
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the malt and water. Stir well to combine and strain the mixture into a large stock pot.
- Place the pot on the stove on medium heat. Simmer the soup; do not boil it. You have to heat the soup for at least 25 minutes.
- Remove the soup from the heat and add in the sweet rice flour to form a sticky paste.
- Mix the paste well and let it cool to room temperature.
- Add the chilli powder and soybean powder. Mix well and then add half of the salt.
- Cover the mixture and let it stand overnight.
- In an earthenware pot, sprinkle some salt and pour the paste in. Sprinkle some more salt on the top.
- Ensure that there is some headspace above the paste in the earthen pot. This way; the Gochujang can breathe. Loosely cover the pot with a lid. An earthenware pot is ideal for making Gochujang as it helps the sauce breathe. However, if you do not have one, you can use a glass jar and cover it with cheesecloth.
- Place your pot in a sunny spot during the day. Bring it indoors if the weather turns cold or rainy. Stir the Gochujang daily. You must do this for at least 3 weeks.
- At the end of the 3 weeks, taste your Gochujang. Ferment it longer if you want a deeper color and richer taste.
- You can transfer the sauce in smaller jars and store it in the refrigerator for up to a year.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
