Fresh green chilies seasoned with doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) make a simple summer side dish that pairs especially well with Korean barbecue.
Koreans often enjoy fresh green chilies dipped in ssamjang, a doenjang (된장, Korean fermented soybean paste). This recipe offers a different take on how to enjoy chili peppers with a similar sauce. If you grow Korean chili peppers in your garden, this dish is an excellent garden-to-table option that showcases the freshness of the vegetable and the savory flavor of the chili pepper. doenjang.
The vegetable dishes seasoned with doenjang they are called Doenjang Muchim (Doenjang Muchim). When prepared with gochu (chili), it is called gochu doenjang muchim (chili). In Korea, doenjang muchim is very popular with various vegetables such as putbaechu (sentbaechu, young napa cabbage), bok choy, spinach, etc. The green leafy vegetables are blanched and then seasoned.
This chili dish is quick (less than 10 minutes) because you just mix fresh chilies with a doenjang mixture, similar to ssamjang.
Which chillies to use
While you can use any mild green chili pepper with a thin to medium thick skin, Koreans usually make this dish with a mild variety called asagi gochu (아삭이고추). These peppers are long and fleshy, have a crunchy texture and a slightly sweet flavor. The word “asag” means crispy in Korean. Oi gochu (오이고추) is another name for them, because they are pleasantly sweet and crunchy, just like cucumbers.
There are many other types of Korean chili peppers, each with its own flavor and level of heat. Putgochu (풋고추) is the general term used for young, mild, or hot green chili peppers. The most common types of Korean chili peppers ripen into red chili peppers (honggochu, 홍고추), and their primary use is to create gochugaru. Cheongyang Gochu (청양고추), green or red, is a very spicy type that is used in various dishes, but too spicy for this dish.
Luckily, asagi gochu is available at Korean markets near me, so I can still make this dish until my homegrown peppers are ready. You may see them simply labeled “Korean chilies.”
The doenjang sauce
Even if the dish is mainly seasoned with doenjangI highly recommend adding a few gochujang (Korean red chili paste) for an extra layer of flavor. If you prefer you can replace gochujang with a little bit of gochugaru (Korean Red Chili Flakes) or just use doenjang.
The salt level in doenjang and gochujang varies depending on the brand. Adjust the quantities to your taste, using more or less than the recipe calls for.
A generous amount of sesame oil and sesame seeds will complement the dish perfectly. Do not jump!
Warehousing
As mentioned above, freshness is a strong point of this dish. Eating on the same day is ideal. You can store the dish in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but the peppers will release water due to the salt in the doenjang.
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Gochu doenjang muchim (green chillies seasoned with doenjang)
Side
Portions: 4
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