Gochujang noun

Korea's fermented red chilli paste, made from chilli powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean and salt, aged in earthenware.

Sweet, savoury and slowly hot, with the rounded funk of fermentation; it tastes cooked even when raw.

Stir into stews (jjigae), whisk with sesame oil, garlic and sugar for bibimbap sauce, rub onto meat for bulgogi and grilled chicken, or thin with vinegar for a dressing. It burns easily; add liquid before it hits high heat.

Recorded in Korean texts by the eighteenth century and traditionally aged for months in onggi jars in the family yard. Modern jars follow the same recipe; the paste is the base of tteokbokki, dakgalbi and most Korean stews.