Homemade Gochujang Sauce (Cho-jang)
The Perfect Accompaniment for Sashimi – Making Gochujang Sauce
Buying gochujang sauce every time can feel a bit wasteful, right? Try making it easily at home! This is an incredibly simple gochujang sauce recipe!
Making Gochujang Sauce
- Gochujang 2 cups
- Gochugaru (Korean chili powder) 3 Tbsp
- Maesil-cheong (Plum extract) 7 Tbsp
- Sugar 7 Tbsp
- Vinegar 7 Tbsp
- Minced garlic (generous amount)
- Sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups of gochujang, 3 Tbsp of gochugaru, 7 Tbsp of maesil-cheong, 7 Tbsp of sugar, and 7 Tbsp of vinegar. Whisk everything together vigorously with a whisk or spoon until well combined. For the minced garlic, I used about 15 cloves, which is quite a lot. There’s a great technique Chef Lee Yeon-bok shared where you smash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife on the cutting board and then finely mince them – this really brings out the flavor. Add the garlic prepared this way to the mixture and whisk again until evenly incorporated.
Step 2
Check the consistency of the sauce. If it seems too thin, add a little more gochujang to thicken it. If it feels too thick, taste it and add more maesil-cheong or vinegar to reach your desired consistency. I personally love things a bit sweeter, but if I were to put all my preferences into a recipe, no one would visit my blog! (Feel free to adjust sweetness to your liking.)
Step 3
Once the flavor is perfect, add the sesame seeds. Whisk again until the seeds are well distributed, adding a nutty aroma and texture.
Step 4
And there you have it! Your delicious homemade gochujang sauce is ready. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Making a larger batch at once is convenient, so you don’t have to make it every time you crave some fresh sashimi.
