Kimchi uses the same chili as gochujang.
Taste the mellow spicy flavor of Korean red chili paste that is called gochujang with your next Asian meal. According to Mark Bittman of "The New York Times," condiments like gochujang give Korean cuisine its recognizable salty, spicy kick. Gochujang is a red chili paste that is made with fermented soybean paste and is a staple ingredient in any Korean kitchen. There are different types of gochujang, but they are essentially slight variations. Other ingredients, such as glutinous rice powder, are added to the basic recipe during the production process.
Glutinous Rice Gochujang
The basic ingredients in gochujang are hot peppers and fermented soybeans, and it has a consistency of a thick porridge with a rich red color. Powdered glutinous rice can be added to this formula to create a different type of chili paste. It has a sweeter taste, which can cut down on its overall spiciness. Some store-bought brands of this type of Korean chili paste are more expensive than regular gochujang.
Sundried Gochujang
Red chili peppers can be dried in the sun to form another type of gochujang. This technique creates a deeper, rich-tasting chili paste that is not too sweet. The color is also darker and some types may also include sweet rice in the ingredients. Sundried gochujang is used in the same type of recipes that call for regular Korean red chili paste, and sugar can be added if it is not sweet enough for the palate.
Barley and Wheat Gochujang
Barley gochujang is made with powdered barley, which is frequently used in Korean cooking. It can be used in dishes like ssam-jang, which is lettuce-wrapped beef. Often eaten in warmer months, the barley cuts down on the sweetness of the gochujang. Another type of chili paste is wheat gochujang, which has wheat in it. It is used in Korean stews and some pickled vegetable recipes because it is thicker than regular gochujang
Red-bean Gochujang
A rich, dark red color distinguishes red-bean gochujang, which is made with crushed small red or azuki beans, from other kinds of Korean red chili paste. These beans are commonly used in Asian cuisine for desserts, such as red bean cakes. Red-bean Gochujang is sweeter and mellower in its spiciness than other types of gochujang, and it can be added to tofu and vegetable recipes when a sweeter taste is desired.
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