Let’s Talk about Gochujang
Gochujang, for the uninitiated, is a fermented chilli paste. A paste that is undoubtedly one of the backbone ingredients in Korean cooking, and used in anything from bimbimbaptotteokbokki. It is made of soybeans, glutinous rice flour and red pepper flakes (gochugaru), the last of which dyes the paste a characteristic deep scarlet.
The flavour of gochujang is unlike no other. It is subtlysweet, a little spicy and unapologetically twangy. Think of it as something akin to miso paste – but with an attitude. Each brand of gochujang will have a different level of heat, ranging from to a mild hint of spice to a sweat-inducing wallop, so be sure to check the heat rating at the back of the red plastic tub. I love a solid level 5 spice – but then again, I did win a chilli eating competition in university (my proudest achievement in Oxford thus far).
As a lover of all things chilli(I own a siracha keychain so I can spice things up on the go), I must urge you to give our funky little friend a try. It will give your cooking a whole other dimension of flavour. The next time you find yourself reaching for that bottle of sriracha, try out some gochujang instead. I followed my own advice (which is unusual) and dolloped a spoonful of gochujang in my cauliflower wing marinade and the rest is history.
Cauliflower Wings
Cauliflower wings are in vogue at the moment. I have seen them buffalo-style, red-curry-infused, lemon’n’herb (for thespice-phobic amongst us)… sriracha and honey.
In Korea, gochujang is used to flavour fried chicken (dakgangjeong), so I thought… gochujang cauliflower wings. They are crispy (as all good cauliflower wings should be) and drenched in a sticky sweetred pepper glaze. They have a little kick to them, and the heat of the pepper from the gochujang is offset by the cooling cucumber yoghurt dip.
The peanuts are optional, although if you aren’t a fan of peanuts… we need to talk. You’re missing out on a lot. Like these chocolate ENCRUSTED peanut butter cookies.
Old Dog, New Tricks
And while gochujang is an essential component of the Korean culinary repertoire, it is not limited to your next kimchi stew. Its well-rounded spice and umami-ness lend well to a variety of dishes. Stir it into a spag bol, or dissolve the sticky paste in some broth and use to flavour your next bowl of noodle soup. It works well to flavour roasted vegetables,spice up your chillies and stews, or to add piquancy to your taco or fajita filling.
Gochujang’s fermented funk means that it pairs especially well with smoky flavours, so use it as a glaze or marinade for vegetables on the barbeque, or mix it into mayo to make a burger sauce (topped with coconut bacon – yum!).
Or, hey (and I am just brainstorming here) use it as a Tabasco substitute in your next bloody mary… Too far? Yeah, I thought so.
Where to find it
Last year, on my quest to find a tub of gochujang, I embarked on a pilgrimage across Oxford. Although I think I referred to it as the bloody longest and coldest hike through Oxford, like, ever.Love makes you do (and say) stupid things.
Alot has changed since then, and I actually happened upon some this week, sat happily on a Sainsbury’s shelf between a packet of wakame and a large jar of toasted sesame oil. So pop into your local store to have a search, and – failing that – try your nearest Asianstore. Bonus points if you can find a speciality Korean store near you (I am lucky enough to have one that just opened *yay*).
Of course, if all your gochujang-acquiring efforts are in vain, Amazonwill not fail you. Here is one you could buy.
Gochujang has a long shelf life, so don’t worry too much if your 500g portion of this sticky, cardiac-red paste seems like a little too much to get through. Once your tub is open, keep the paste in the refrigerator and it should keep for at least 2 years. Although personally, no tub of gochujang ever makes it past a few months. And if you love these wings as much as I do, yours wouldn’t either.
Cauliflower Wing Perfection
If you are one to douse submergeeverything you eat in a layer of siracha (Hi, my name is Sasha and I am a sriracha addict), make a dressing-type sauce out of it. Otherwise, it is way too viciousand sticky to pour over roasted broccoli. If that sounds like your jam, the recipe for it is almost just like the sauce for the cauliflower wings after they are battered and baked.
p.s. If this is the first time you’re reading one of my recipes, the ingredients are separated out according to when you will use them. So don’t feel confused if you see butter listed twice! Just work your way down the list and you will know which quantity to use first.
Vegan Korean Cauliflower Wings
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A Korean twist on the classic cauliflower wing, with a tangy, assertive gochujang glaze. These wings are best when served with a cooling, zingy scallion dip.
Author: Sasha Gill
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, leaves removed and cut into bite-sized florets (approx. 4 cups)
Batter
- ¾ cup soy milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour*
- ¼ tsp gochugaru or red chilli flakes, optional
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 1 cup golden breadcrumbs
- ¼ tsp salt
Glaze
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 3 cm piece of ginger, grated
- ¼ cup gochujang
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lemon juice
- ¼ cup agave or rice syrup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, optional
- Sesame seeds and scallions for garnish
Scallion dip
- 1 cup vegan yogurt
- ½ a cucumber, grated and squeezed to remove liquid
- 2 scallions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 200C. Place a piece of parchment paper or silpat on two baking sheets, and set aside.
- Wash and cut cauliflower head into bite-sized pieces/florets. In a bowl, whisk together the soy milk, flour, gochugaru, salt and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, toss the golden breadcrumbs and salt together
- Dip a cauliflower floret in the flour batter, shake off excess batter, then dip into the breadcrumbs. Toss to coat then place the floret on the prepared tray.
- Repeat for all florets and continue to arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden.
- Meanwhile, make the gochujang glaze. in a shallow bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, gochujang, vinegar, syrup and sesame oil together.
- When the florets are golden and baked, remove from the oven, toss each in the prepared glaze (one by one), let excess glaze drip off before returning it to the tray. Repeat until all your florets are coated. You may have excess or not enough glaze, as this depends on the size of your cauliflower, but you can always whisk some more up if needed.
- Sprinkle peanuts over the cauliflower on the tray, then bake for another 5-7 minutes.
- To make the dip, just mix the last 5 ingredients together.
- Serve the florets hot or warm, garnished with scallions and sesame seeds, with a side of scallion yogurt dipping sauce.
Notes
*For a gluten-free option - Use rice flour instead of all-purpose and make sure your breadcrumbs are gluten-free. Some brands of gochujang aren’t gluten-free, so double check that yours is.
If you aren’t a big fan of spicy food, just omit the gochugaru (red pepper flakes) and substitute half of the gochujang with tomato paste.
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