Brussels, Korea collide!
Katie Workman puts a new spicy twist on sprouts.
A couple of years ago a neighbor of mine noticed that I called for gochujang, a Korean hot paste, in a recipe on my blog. She was excited that an ingredient she had grown up with was making its way into recipes in more mainstream American outlets, getting its deserved recognition in the spicy-ingredient pantheon. She even delivered a big jar of gochujang to my door so I could continue playing with it.
And I have. A lot.
Gochujang is traditionally made with chili peppers, fermented soybeans, brown sugar, glutinous rice and salt — but that may not make your mouth water. Think of spicy, a hint of sweetness and a bit of umami (thanks to the fermentation) smooshed together.
Umami is commonly talked about as the fifth taste, in conjunction with salty, sour, sweet and bitter. Its simplest definition is “savory,” and to think about what that means, think about how your taste buds respond when you are eating foods such as mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, anchovies, miso, meat or a rich soup.
Sometimes the taste of umami is actually described as meaty or brothy. The word umami is derived from the Japanese word “umai” meaning “deliciousness.”
The fish sauce, made with fermented anchovies, adds to the whole umami thing, as well. Both gochujang and fish sauce are available in Asian markets and well-stocked supermarkets, and both are readily available online. If you don’t have gochujang, you can substitute other hot sauces and add a hefty pinch of brown sugar. And if you don’t have fish sauce, soy sauce will do in a pinch (different, but still delicious).
Hey, listen, I’m aware that many people reading all of this might think, “Whaaaaat?” For many Western cooks, words like “fermented anchovies” don’t spark joy in our hearts. But boy, if you like foods like a great Caesar salad or a spicy ramen soup, then take a little chance and give this dish and these ingredients a go. And by all means, let me know what you think — my neighbor and I want to know.