View source for Gochujang

{{Short description|Spicy fermented Korean condiment}}
{{Italic title|reason=
}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = ''Gochujang''
| image            = Korean chili pepper paste GOCHUJANG.jpg
| caption          = 
| alternate_name   = Red chili paste
| place_of_origin          = [[Korea]]
| region           = 
| associated_cuisine = [[Korean cuisine]]
| creator          = 
| year             = 
| mintime          = 
| maxtime          = 
| type             = 
| course           = 
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = ''[[Gochu-garu]]'' (chili powder), [[glutinous rice]], ''[[meju]]-garu'' (fermented soybean powder)
| minor_ingredient = 
| variations       = 
| serving_size     = 
| calories         = 
| calories_ref     = 
| protein          = 
| fat              = 
| carbohydrate     = 
| glycemic_index   = 
| similar_dish     = 
| other            = [[Harmonized System|HS code]]: 2103.90.1030
| module = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
| child = yes
| hangul     = 고추장
| hanja      = 苦椒醬
| ipa  = {{IPA|ko|kotɕʰudʑaŋ|}}
}}
}}
{{Korean cuisine}}

'''''Gochujang''('''{{Korean|hangul=고추장}}''')'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|ɡ|əʊ|tʃ|uː|dʒ|æ|ŋ|,_|ˈ|k|ɔː|tʃ|uː|dʒ|æ|ŋ}} {{respell|GOH|choo|jang|,_|KAW|choo|jang}},<ref>{{Cite web |title=gochujang |url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gochujang |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416125426/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gochujang |archive-date=April 16, 2017 |access-date=15 April 2017 |website=[[OxfordDictionaries.com]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref><ref name="Cambridge">{{Cambridge Dictionary|gochujang}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|ɡ|əʊ|tʃ|uː|dʒ|ɑː|ŋ}} {{respell|GOH|choo|jahng}};<ref name="Cambridge"/> {{Korean|hangul=고추장}}, {{IPA|ko|kotɕʰudʑaŋ|IPA}}.}} or '''red chili paste'''<ref name="NIKL">{{Cite web|url=http://www.korean.go.kr/common/download.do?file_path=notice&c_file_name=140730_%ED%95%9C%EC%8B%9D%EB%AA%85_%EB%A1%9C%EB%A7%88%EC%9E%90_%ED%91%9C%EA%B8%B0_%EB%B0%8F_%ED%91%9C%EC%A4%80_%EB%B2%88%EC%97%AD_%ED%99%95%EC%A0%95%EC%95%88_.pdf&o_file_name=140730_%ED%95%9C%EC%8B%9D%EB%AA%85_%EB%A1%9C%EB%A7%88%EC%9E%90_%ED%91%9C%EA%B8%B0_%EB%B0%8F_%ED%91%9C%EC%A4%80_%EB%B2%88%EC%97%AD_%ED%99%95%EC%A0%95%EC%95%88_.pdf|script-title=ko:주요 한식명(200개) 로마자 표기 및 번역(영, 중, 일) 표준안|last=National Institute of Korean Language|date=30 July 2014|language=ko|access-date=25 February 2017|archive-date=23 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123095130/http://www.korean.go.kr/common/download.do?file_path=notice&c_file_name=140730_%ED%95%9C%EC%8B%9D%EB%AA%85_%EB%A1%9C%EB%A7%88%EC%9E%90_%ED%91%9C%EA%B8%B0_%EB%B0%8F_%ED%91%9C%EC%A4%80_%EB%B2%88%EC%97%AD_%ED%99%95%EC%A0%95%EC%95%88_.pdf&o_file_name=140730_%ED%95%9C%EC%8B%9D%EB%AA%85_%EB%A1%9C%EB%A7%88%EC%9E%90_%ED%91%9C%EA%B8%B0_%EB%B0%8F_%ED%91%9C%EC%A4%80_%EB%B2%88%EC%97%AD_%ED%99%95%EC%A0%95%EC%95%88_.pdf|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite web |date=2014-05-02 |script-title=ko:주요 한식명 로마자 표기 및 표준 번역 확정안 공지 |url=http://www.korean.go.kr/front/board/boardStandardView.do?board_id=4&mn_id=17&b_seq=1465 |website=[[National Institute of Korean Language]] |language=ko }}</ref> is a savory, sweet, and spicy [[Fermentation in food processing|fermented]]  [[condiment]] popular in [[Korean cooking]]. It is made from ''[[Korean chili pepper|gochugaru]]''  (red chili powder), [[glutinous rice]], ''[[meju]]'' (fermented soybean) powder, ''yeotgireum'' ([[barley]] [[malt]] powder), and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with [[Saccharification|saccharifying]] enzymes during the fermentation process.<ref name="Doo">{{Cite web|url=http://www.doopedia.co.kr/doopedia/master/master.do?_method=view&MAS_IDX=101013000806068|title=gochujang|website=[[Doopedia]]|publisher=[[Doosan Corporation]]|language=ko|script-title=ko:고추장|access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref> Traditionally, it would be naturally fermented over years in ''[[jangdok]]'' (earthenware) on an elevated stone platform called ''[[jangdokdae]]'' in the [[backyard]].

== History ==
''Shiyi xinjian'' ({{lang|lzh|食醫心鑑}}), a mid-9th century Chinese document, recorded the Korean pepper paste as {{lang|lzh|苦椒醬}} ({{literal translation|pepper paste}}). The second-oldest documentation of pepper paste is found in the 1433 Korean book ''[[Hyangyak jipseongbang|Collected Prescriptions of Native Korean Medicines]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kim|first1=Soon-Hee|last2=Chung|first2=Kyung Rhan|last3=Yang|first3=Hye-Jeong|last4=Kwon|first4=Dae Young|title=Sunchang gochujang (Korean red chili paste): The unfolding of authenticity|journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods|language=en|volume=3|issue=3|pages=201–208|doi=10.1016/j.jef.2016.09.002|year=2016|doi-access=free}}</ref> Pepper paste is again mentioned in a 1445 medical encyclopedia named ''[[Uibang yuchwi|Compendia of Medical Prescriptions]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kwon|first1=Dae Young|last2=Chung|first2=Kyung Rhan|last3=Yang|first3=Hye-Jeong|last4=Jang|first4=Dai-Ja|title=Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste): A Korean ethnic sauce, its role and history|journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods|language=en|volume=2|issue=1|pages=29–35|doi=10.1016/j.jef.2015.02.006|year=2015|doi-access=free}}</ref> However, all these sources are from the time before the actual chili peppers were introduced to Korea.

Chili peppers, which originated in the Americas, were introduced to East Asia by Portuguese traders in the early 16th century.<ref name="KCIS">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NoxoBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA133|title=Guide to Korean Culture: Korea's cultural heritage|publisher=[[Korean Culture and Information Service]], [[Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea)|Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]]|year=2015|isbn=9788973755714|edition=2015|location=Seoul|pages=131–133|orig-date=1995}}</ref><ref name="Park">{{Cite news|url=https://cpi.nmsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2016/06/99-spring.pdf|title=Red Pepper and Kimchi in Korea|last=Park|first=Jae Bok|date=Spring 1999|work=[[Chile Pepper Institute]] Newsletter|access-date=20 March 2017|issue=1|volume=8|pages=3|archive-date=7 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007210343/https://cpi.nmsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2016/06/99-spring.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Marianski">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=anbDBazwLmsC&pg=PA45|title=Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles & Relishes|last1=Marianski|first1=Stanley|last2=Marianski|first2=Adam|publisher=Bookmagic|year=2012|isbn=9780983697329|location=Seminole, FL|pages=45}}</ref> There is mention of a type of [[chili pepper]] brought to Korea found in ''[[Chibong yusŏl|Collected Essays of Jibong]]'', an encyclopedia published in 1614.<ref name="Hui">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dVpQVJ46C5gC&pg=PA190|title=Handbook of Vegetable Preservation and Processing|publisher=[[Marcel Dekker]]|year=2004|isbn=978-0824743017|editor-last=Hui|editor-first=Y. H.|location=New York|pages=190–191|editor-last2=Ghazala|editor-first2=Sue|editor-last3=Graham|editor-first3=Dee M.|editor-last4=Murrell|editor-first4=K. D.|editor-last5=Nip|editor-first5=Wai-Kit}}</ref><ref name="Yi">{{cite wikisource |script-title=ko:지봉유설 |first=Sugwang |last=Yi |plaintitle=Chibong yusŏl ''[[:s:ko:지봉유설|지봉유설(芝峯類說)]]'' |wslanguage=ko |trans-title=Topical Discourses of Jibong |location=Joseon Korea}}</ref> ''[[Sallim gyeongje|Farm Management]]'', a book from {{Circa|1700}}, discussed the cultivation methods of chili peppers.<ref name="Hong">{{Cite book|url=http://db.itkc.or.kr/index.jsp?bizName=KO&url=/itkcdb/text/bookListIframe.jsp?bizName=KO&seojiId=kc_ko_g003&gunchaId=&NodeId=&setid=389232|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328021323/http://db.itkc.or.kr/index.jsp?bizName=KO&url=%2Fitkcdb%2Ftext%2FbookListIframe.jsp%3FbizName%3DKO&seojiId=kc_ko_g003&gunchaId=&NodeId=&setid=389232|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-03-28|title=Sallim gyeongje|last=Hong|first=Manseon|location=Joseon Korea|language=lzh|script-title=ko:산림경제(山林經濟)|trans-title=Farm Management|via=[[DB of Korean classics]] by [[Institute for the Translation of Korean Classics|ITKC]]}}</ref>

The history of Sunchang gochujang's becoming a regional speciality dates back to the 14th century at the start of the Joseon Dynasty era (1392–1910) when the founder Yi Seong-gye made gochujang from the Sunchang region a part of Korean palace cuisine.<blockquote>When Yi Seong-gye, who went on to become the founder and first king of Joseon as King Taejo, was on a trip to Manilsa Temple to pray to the mountain god, he is said to have eaten a bowl of barley ''bibimbab'' (spicy mixed rice with vegetables) with ''gochujang'' that he found unforgettably delicious. He loved it so much that he ordered it served to the royal family when he became king. Thus Sunchang ''gochujang'' gained fame as a regional specialty.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Focus |url=http://www.kocis.go.kr/eng/webzine/201906/sub02.html |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=[[Korean Culture and Information Service]] |language=ko}}</ref></blockquote>In the 18th-century books, ''[[Somun saseol]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=소문사설|hanja=謏聞事說|labels=no}}) and ''[[Jeungbo sallim gyeongje|Revised and Augmented Farm Management]]'', ''gochujang'' is written as {{Transliteration|ko|gochojang}}, using hanja characters {{lang|ko|苦椒醬}} and {{lang|ko|古椒醬}}.<ref name="Yi2">{{Cite book|url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0030064|title=Somun saseol|last1=Yi|first1=Sipil|last2=Yi|first2=Pyo|year=1940|location=Joseon Korea|language=lzh|script-title=ko:소문사설(謏問事說)|orig-date=1722}}</ref><ref name="Yu">{{Cite book|title=Jeungbo sallim gyeongje|title-link=Jeungbo sallim gyeongje|last1=Yu|first1=Jungrim|last2=Hong|first2=Manseon|year=1766|location=Joseon Korea|language=lzh|script-title=ko:증보산림경제(增補山林經濟)|trans-title=Revised and Augmented Farm Management}}</ref> It is also mentioned that [[Sunchang County]] was renowned for its ''gochujang'' production.<ref name="Yi2" /> China and Japan, the countries with which Korea has historically shared the most culture and trade, do not include gochujang in their traditional cuisines.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

=== Historical recipes ===
Gochujang ingredients reported in ''[[Jeungbo sallim gyeongje]]'' were {{convert|18|L|USqt|abbr=off}} of powdered and sieved ''[[meju]]'' (fermented soybeans), {{convert|540|mL|USfloz|frac=2|abbr=on}} of chili powder, and {{convert|1.8|liters|USqt|frac=8|abbr=on}} of glutinous rice flour, as well as [[soup soy sauce]] for adjusting the consistency.<ref name="Yu" /> The gochujang recipe in ''[[Gyuhap chongseo]]'', an 1809 cookbook, uses powdered ''meju'' made from {{convert|18|L|USqt|0|abbr=on}} of soybeans and {{convert|3.6|L|USqt|frac=8|abbr=on}} of glutinous rice, then adding {{convert|900-1260|mL|USfloz|frac=2|abbr=on}} of chili powder and ''[[bap (food)|bap]]'' made from {{convert|3.6|L|USqt|abbr=on}} of glutinous rice.<ref name="Yi3">{{Cite book|title=Gyuhap chongseo|title-link=Gyuhap chongseo|last=Yi|first=Bingheogak|year=1809|location=Joseon Korea|language=lzh|script-title=ko:규합총서(閨閤叢書)|trans-title=Women's Encyclopedia|author-link=Yi Bingheogak}}</ref>

==Ingredients==
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2019}}
[[Image:Kimchi jar.JPG|thumb|left|Traditional jars used for fermenting gochujang]]

''Gochujang's'' primary ingredients are red chili powder ({{Korean|hangul=고추가루|rr=gochugaru|labels=no}}), [[glutinous rice]] powder, powdered fermented soybeans, and [[salt]]. [[Korean chili pepper]]s, of the species ''[[Capsicum annuum]]'', are spicy yet sweet, making them ideal for ''gochujang'' production. Gochujang is typically made from 25% red pepper powder, 22.2% glutinous rice, 5.5% meju powder (60% cooked soybeans and 40% non-glutinous rice), 12.8% salt, 5% malt, and 29% water.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shin |first1=Donghwa |last2=Jeong |first2=Doyoun |title=Korean traditional fermented soybean products: Jang |journal=Journal of Ethnic Foods |date=March 2015 |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=2–7 |doi=10.1016/j.jef.2015.02.002|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Other recipes use glutinous rice ({{Korean|hangul=찹쌀|rr=chapssal|labels=no}}), normal short-grain rice ({{Korean|hangul=맵쌀|rr=mepssal|labels=no}}), or [[barley]]. Less common additions include whole wheat kernels, [[jujube]]s, [[pumpkin]], and [[sweet potato]]. A small amount of sweetener, such as sugar, syrup, or [[honey]], is also sometimes added. The finished product is a dark red paste, with a rich, piquant flavor.

The making of ''gochujang'' at home began tapering off when commercial production came into the mass market in the early 1970s. Now, most Koreans purchase ''gochujang'' at grocery stores or markets. It is still used extensively in [[Korean cooking]] to flavor stews (''[[jjigae]]''), such as in ''gochujang jjigae''; to marinate meat, such as in ''gochujang [[bulgogi]]''; and as a condiment for ''[[naengmyeon]]'' and ''[[bibimbap]]''.

Gochujang is also used as a base for making other condiments, such as ''chogochujang'' ({{Korean|hangul=초고추장|labels=no}}) and ''[[ssamjang]]'' ({{Korean|hangul=쌈장|labels=no}}). ''Chogochujang'' is a variant of gochujang made by adding vinegar and other seasonings, such as sugar and sesame seeds. It is usually used as a sauce for ''[[Hoe (dish)|hoe]]'' and ''[[hoedeopbap]]''. Similarly, ''ssamjang'' is a mixture of mainly gochujang and ''[[doenjang]]'', with chopped onions and other spicy seasonings, and it is popular with ''sangchussam'' ({{Korean|hangul=상추쌈|labels=no}}).

== Gochujang hot-taste unit ==
Gochujang hot-taste unit (GHU) is a unit of measurement for the pungency (spicy heat) of gochujang, based on the [[gas chromatography]] and the [[high-performance liquid chromatography]] of [[capsaicin]] and [[dihydrocapsaicin]] concentrations.<ref name="NAQS">{{Cite web|url=https://standard.go.kr/KSCI/common/filedownload.ndo?atchmnflId=TBI20170111145941&atchmnflSn=3|title=Jeontong sikpum pyojun gyugyeok|last=National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service|date=September 2016|website=Korean Standards & Certifications|publisher=[[Korean Agency for Technology and Standards]]|pages=88–89|language=ko|script-title=ko:전통식품 표준규격|format=PDF|access-date=17 April 2017}}</ref>

Gochujang products are assigned to one of the five levels of spiciness: Mild, Slight Hot, Medium Hot, Very Hot, and Extreme Hot.<ref name="NAQS" />
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="color:white; background:#900"|Extreme Hot
|style="color:white; background:#900"|> 100
|-
|style="color:white; background:#f00"|Very Hot
|style="color:white; background:#f00"|75–100
|-
|style="color:black; background:#ff4949"|Medium Hot
|style="color:black; background:#ff4949"|45–75
|-
|style="color:black; background:#ff9292"|Slight Hot
|style="color:black; background:#ff9292"|30–45
|-
|style="color:black; background:#ffdbdb"|Mild
|style="color:black; background:#ffdbdb"|< 30
|}

==Uses==
Gochujang is used in various dishes such as ''[[bibimbap]]'' and ''[[tteokbokki]]'', and in [[salad]]s, [[jjigae|stews]], [[soup]]s, and marinated meat dishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://app.visitkorea.or.kr/ContentView.do?method=getContentViewPage&cid=995798&lang_code=E |title=Gochujang (Hot Pepper Paste) |publisher=[[VisitKorea.or.kr]].org |access-date=19 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112112105/http://app.visitkorea.or.kr/ContentView.do?method=getContentViewPage&cid=995798&lang_code=E |archive-date=12 November 2014 }}</ref> Gochujang may make dishes spicier (depending on the [[capsaicin]] in the base chili), but also can make them sweeter and smokier.

==Further reading==
* {{cite web|accessdate=31 May 2023|author=Erin Craig|date=19 Aug 2020|title=Gochujang: The trendy Korean food that burns|url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200818-gochujang-the-trendy-korean-food-that-burns|website=BBC Travel}}

==See also==
{{portal|Korea|Food}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Doenjang]]''
* ''[[Ssamjang]]''
* [[Chili pepper paste]]
* [[Biber salçası]]
* [[Filfel chuma]]
* [[Harissa]]
* [[Awaze]]
* ''[[Jeow bong]]''
* [[Doubanjiang]]
* [[Sambal]]
* [[Sriracha]]
* [[Yuzukoshō]]
* [[Zhug]]
* [[Fermented bean paste]]
* [[Ají (sauce)]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Korean food and drink}}
{{Hot sauces}}

[[Category:Chili paste]]
[[Category:Fermented soy-based foods]]
[[Category:Korean condiments]]
[[Category:Korean words and phrases]]
[[Category:Korean cuisine]]
[[Category:Joseon cuisine]]