This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Following in the footsteps of Cantonese, Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese cuisines, Korean cuisine is on the rise in Quebec. It is therefore not surprising that one of its key ingredients, gochujang, can be found almost everywhere, from restaurants to TikTok videos to grocery store shelves. A perfect excuse to explore this product in the company of experienced guides.
K-pop music and daring TV series aren’t the only parts of Korean culture that have made their way to us. The cuisine of the “land of fresh morning” has become very popular with us. Whether it’s Korean fried chicken, Korean barbecue or the famous tteokbokki (a spongy rice cake, mounted or not on skewers), viral on social networks. So much so, in fact, that a festival, Pocha MTL, is now dedicated to it.
However, what is the ingredient found in many of these specialties? THE gochujang, which literally translates into French as “bitter chili sauce”. This fermented condiment, which is among the three most common in Korea and whose recipe was invented several centuries ago, is made from red pepper, glutinous rice and soy. But there are many variations of this paste with a spicy sweet-salty taste, which visually resembles ketchup, except that it is firmer and lumpy.
The secret is in the sauce
“In Korea, the gochujang can be used everywhere. In soups, sauces, noodles, with meats, fish, vegetables. Some people even buy it in tube form, like toothpaste, when they go on a trip! » confirms Hanhak Kim. The chef arrived in Quebec with his family 10 years ago and has since become co-owner of the Montreal Korean restaurant Pony BBQ (named after the first model from the automobile manufacturer Hyundai). He also adds that, in his culture, spicy foods are considered to lower the level of stress we may feel.
Whatever one thinks of this statement, this very friendly chef is happy to be able to introduce the cuisine of his native country by integrating his little personal touch. “Be careful, I don’t put gochujang everywhere, he says. I include it in the sauce that accompanies my Korean fried chicken, in that of my tteokbokki [au poisson et garni d’un oeuf, dans son cas]in my bibimbap [un mélange de riz, de viande et de légumes coiffé d’un oeuf au plat] or even in my samygyupsal [tranches de poitrine de porc marinées 48 heures dans une sauce au gochujang]. This last dish is my favorite, because I love pork, but I also appreciate the fact that the gochujang breaks up the slightly oily side of fried meat and vegetables. » Hanhak Kim adds that with a glass of soju (Korean alcohol made from rice or different starches), the tasting of this dish is perfect.
Of course, not everyone has Chef Hanhak Kim’s expertise when it comes to Korean cuisine. Which doesn’t stop more and more of us from starting to prepare certain dishes seen on a television show or on the Internet.
“It’s simple: if a recipe with gochujang is broadcast on the show Ricardo, we can guess in advance that we’re going to be asked about twenty times a day, jokes Olivier Parent, co-owner of the Chanhda Asian grocery store in Quebec. But 90% of customers who pass through the door of our store have no idea what it is! »
Mr. Parent and his partner, Maxime Chanhda, of Thai and Laotian origin, both witnessed the rise of the gochujang in the last few years. We even find versions concocted by national Canadian brands on the market. “We carry on average two to three kinds so that people are not too mixed,” explains the grocer, who comes across up to ten in Korean stores. “The main thing is to offer several formats [de 200 g à 1 kg]so that customers can test this product in small quantities to see if they like it,” he adds.
However, it is not obligatory to cook Korean with gochujang. Mr. Chanhda has actually had fun, successfully, incorporating it into marinades, broths, mayonnaise, fondue sauce… and even macaroni and cheese! “It’s a versatile condiment that can enhance many dishes, or even replace other spicy sauces like sambal oelek, sriracha or harissa,” he says.
We can therefore finally season our daily meals a little (or a lot) with gochujang. Chef Hanhak Kim simply recommends that we start with a mild version (spice level specified on the box). For his part, Maxime Chanhda suggests adding plastic wrap to open containers to prevent the chili paste from drying out. All you have to do is explore its possibilities!
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.