Homemade Gochujang

Name: Homemade Gochujang
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 80 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 300g Barley Malt Powder, yeotgireum; 1.2 l Water; 400g Glutinous Rice Flour, sweet rice; 400ml Water; 500g Korean Red Pepper Powder (Gochugaru), gochugaru, fine grind preferred; 250g Meju Powder, fermented soybean powder; 200g Korean Coarse Sea Salt; 250ml Rice Syrup, ssalyeot; 200ml Malt Water, from above; as needed to adjust consistency

This homemade gochujang is a deep, sweet-spicy Korean chili paste built on a sticky glutinous rice base and fermented soybean starter for rich umami. It balances smoky [gochugaru]-heat with malty sweetness and mellow saltiness, and becomes more complex the longer it rests—perfect for marinades, stews, and dipping sauces.

This homemade gochujang is a deep, sweet-spicy Korean chili paste built on a sticky glutinous rice base and fermented soybean star... Show more

Traditional Korean Recipe

Health Grade

C+ · Balanced

Time

50 min

Price

0,17 €

Calories

63 kcal

vegan

budget

low calorie

meal prep

high fiber

korean

Method

Make malt water

Whisk the Barley Malt Powder into Water in a large bowl until the liquid looks evenly cloudy. Let it stand for 20 minutes so the solids settle, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring jug; the clear liquid is your Malt Water.

Cook rice porridge

Whisk the Glutinous Rice Flour into the 400 ml of water in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes a thick, glossy porridge that leaves trails on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Scrape it into a bowl and let it cool until just warm.

Mix the paste

In a large bowl, combine the cooled porridge, Korean Red Pepper Powder (Gochugaru), Meju Powder, Korean Coarse Sea Salt, and Rice Syrup. Stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened, then add the malt water a little at a time until you have a thick, smooth paste that slowly falls off the spoon. The texture should be dense but spreadable, not runny.

Ferment the gochujang

Pack the paste into a clean, dry fermentation jar, pressing out any air pockets and smoothing the top. Cover it loosely and let it ferment in a cool, dry place for at least 1 month; longer aging will deepen the color and flavor. Stir with a clean spoon whenever you notice liquid pooling on top.