Gochujang: the new sriracha?

In a long, searching post on The Awl (it opens with a little Proust, naturally), Ben Choi examines the “Korean go-to, all-in-one magic chili sauce,” gochujang (better known as that stuff you squeeze on your bi bim bap). Among the many apparent virtues of the fermented paste of red chili, rice powder and soybeans: it makes a great “mother condiment” from which you can make other condiments; it can act as a “passport between traditional cuisines,” bridging the foods of the Asian, Polynesian and American residents of American Samoa; it made palatable Choi’s childhood meals of Slim Jims and rice (he grew up in the family corner store); and it might even be responsible for keeping SARS out of South Korea. We have a feeling sriracha is going to be given a run for its money pretty soon. Read the entire story [The Awl] »