Gochugaru
- Origin
- South Korea
- Scoville Heat Units
- 1 500 - 4 000 SHU
- Flavor
- Smoky
- Color
- Red
- Shape
- Long and tapered
Description
Gochugaru refers to both the Korean red chili pepper and the sun-dried, coarsely ground flakes that are the backbone of Korean cuisine. Its long, tapered pods ripen to a deep red and are dried whole before being deseeded and ground into flakes with a mild-to-moderate heat and a complex sweet, smoky, slightly fruity flavor. Irreplaceable in kimchi, tteokbokki, gochujang paste, and countless Korean dishes, it imparts the characteristic deep red color to Korean cooking.