Korean Chile Flakes (Gochugaru)

Botanical Name: Capsicum Annuum ‘Gochu’

Flavor: Spicy, Sweet, Smoky, slightly Fruity, mildly Tangy

Heat Level: Mild to Moderate - 1,500 to 10,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units)

Origin: South Korea

Use With: Beef, Chicken, Pork, Fish, Seafood, and Vegetables

Description: Made from sun-dried ripe de-seeded Korean Gochu chiles that are coarsely ground into tiny ‘flakes’ with incredibly beautiful bright red color. ‘Gochugaru’ (pronounced Koh-Choo-Gah-Roo) or Korean Chile Flakes vary dramatically in heat depending on how mature the chiles were when harvested and producers don’t help by not specifying so each package even of the same brand can have a different level of heat. ‘Gochu’ refers to the chile and ‘Garu’ translates as ‘flakes’ or ‘powder’ so Gochugaru can refer to either red chile flakes or finely ground red chile pepper powder which is not used in everyday Korean cooking but is the main ingredient in the fermented red chile paste Gochujang

Suggested Uses:

While Gochugaru is an essential ingredient for authentic Korean cooking, it can be used as a substitution anywhere that you would use ‘Cayenne’, ‘red chile powder’, ‘red pepper’, ‘crushed red pepper’, ‘pepper flakes’, or any variety of dried chile powder for a rich, complex chile flavor with a mild to moderate heat.

• Finely ground Gochugaru (AKA Korean Red Pepper Powder) is the main ingredient in the fermented red chile paste Gochujang, another essential ingredient in authentic Korean cuisine.
• Use to make traditional Kimchi, spicy Korean soups and stew including Sundubu Jjigae and Dak Dori Tang, as well as innumerable spicy Korean accompaniments (Banchan), and much, much, more…
• Add it to marinades, sauces, dry rubs, soups, stews, dressings, dips, vegetables, and grilled meats
• Sprinkle over scrambled eggs, smashed potatoes, popcorn, or anywhere else you want to add some heat!