Today, let’s upgrade our Gochujang (Korean Chili Paste). What? You don’t want to do that because it’s so delicious just as it is? Yeah, I totally understand what you’re saying but if you try this Yakgochujang (Fried Gochujang), you will say it’s a hundred times better. Trust me, it will blow your mind.

#1 YAKGOCHUJANG

Ingredients:

1/4 yellow onion
2-3 green onions
4 tbsp neutral-tasting oil (such as vegetable, grapeseed, canola oil, etc.)
3 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 lb (230g) ground beef (or ground pork, chicken, canned tuna, shiitake mushrooms, etc.)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp Korean beef stock powder (dasida)
1 cup (320g) Korean chili paste (gochujang)
1/2 cup (120ml) water
1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Finely dice the onion. Thinly slice the green onions.

2. In a nonstick wok (or pan), heat the oil (4 tbsp) over medium-high heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the onion, green onions, and minced garlic. Saute for 4 minutes or until they start to go brown.

3. Add the ground beef. Break up the beef. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Make sure you keep stirring it and toss it around until most of the liquid has evaporated.

4. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and Korean beef stock powder. Give it a good stir for 2 minutes.

5. Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 cup (320g) Korean chili paste and give it a good stir for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup (120ml) water and stir around for 2 to 3 minutes.

6.Add the sesame oil and simmer for another 1 minute. Once you can see the bubbles in the middle, turn the heat off. Give it a good stir for 1 to 2 minutes to prevent your gochujang from burning.

NOTES:

Once it’s cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to a month.
You can simply eat it with rice or noodles. Or it can be used as a dipping sauce for lettuce wrap.

#2 BIBIMBAP (2 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion
3-4 shiitake mushrooms
1/3 carrot (80g)
1/3 zucchini (80g)
2 tbsp neutral-tasting oil, divided
2 cups hot cooked rice, about 1 cup (210g) for serving
Handful of microgreens (optional)
2 sunny-side-up eggs, to serve
2 tsp toasted sesame oil, divided
Yakgochujang (or regular Korean chili paste), to serve

Instructions:

1. Thinly slice the onion and mushrooms. Cut the carrot and zucchini into matchsticks. (Feel free to substitute with other vegetables.)

2. In a pan, heat the oil (1/2 tbsp) over medium-low heat. Once it’s heated, cook your veggies, one by one, with a pinch of salt. After 2 or 3 minutes or until it starts to soften, remove it from the pan and set aside.

3. Divide the rice into serving bowls. Add half of the veggies and microgreens (if using) to each bowl .

4. Place a sunny-side-up egg and finish with sesame oil (1 tsp) each. Serve with YAKGOCHUJANG. (You might need to add 1/2 tbsp-1 tbsp to mix everything.) Enjoy!

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