Recipe of the week

Gochujang sauce has caught on as a condiment, but that’s not the whole story, said Eric Kim in The New York Times. Gochujang paste is the purer form, a mix of fermented soybeans, rice, and red-pepper powder sold in jars or tubs, and it’s a foundational ingredient in Korean cooking. Get to know it with this buttery, garlicky noodle dish, which is “perfect when you need a stellar pantry meal lickety-split.”

Gochujang buttered noodles

1 lb spaghetti or other long pasta • 6 tbsp unsalted butter • 12 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1∕3 cup) • kosher salt and black pepper • ¼ cup gochujang paste (not sauce) • ¼ cup honey • ¼ cup sherry vinegar or rice vinegar • finely chopped cilantro or thinly sliced scallions (optional)

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook per package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain spaghetti and return to its pot.

• While pasta cooks, melt 4 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-low. Add garlic and season generously with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic starts to soften but not brown, 1 to 3 minutes.

• Stir in gochujang, honey, and vinegar, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture reduces significantly, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. • Transfer sauce to the pot with the spaghetti and add remaining 2 tbsp butter. Vigorously stir until butter melts. Add splashes of pasta cooking water, as needed, to thin out sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro or scallions (if using). Serves 4.