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Korean

Korean cooking on the pass: gochujang and doenjang depth, banchan discipline, and grill work that runs hot and fast. Fermentation does the heavy lifting long before service starts.

Korean cooking on the pass: gochujang and doenjang depth, banchan discipline, and grill work that runs hot and fast. Fermentation does the heavy lifting long before service starts.

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Questions from the pass

Korean: frequently asked

What is the difference between gochujang and doenjang in Korean cooking?

Gochujang is a fermented chilli paste sweetened with glutinous rice, ideal for finishing sauces or glazing pork belly at the end of cooking. Doenjang is a salty, umami-rich fermented soybean paste used as a base for stews like doenjang jjigae. Doenjang withstands prolonged boiling, while gochujang burns easily due to its sugar content and requires careful temperature control on the line.

How do restaurants prep and store banchan ahead of service?

Banchan prep relies on strict temperature control and fermentation schedules. Quick-pickled items like mu saengchae are salted and drained to maintain crunch, then stored at 2°C to 4°C. Lacto-fermented baechu-kimchi is fermented at 15°C for three days before cold storage. Service portions must be kept dry; excess moisture ruins the crisp texture of seasoned spinach.

What temperature should a Korean BBQ grill be?

For thin-sliced meats like bulgogi or samgyeopsal, set the charcoal or gas grill to 230°C to 260°C. Cook hot and fast to caramelise the marinades without boiling the meat in its own juices. Thinner cuts of beef brisket require only 10 to 15 seconds per side on a dry, smoking-hot dome plate.

What is the ratio for making traditional ssamjang sauce?

Standard kitchen prep uses a 2:1 ratio of doenjang to gochujang. Combine 200g doenjang and 100g gochujang with 15ml toasted sesame oil, one minced garlic clove, and 10g toasted sesame seeds. Stir until smooth. This thick dipping sauce is served raw alongside grilled meats and lettuce wraps, and holds well for up to a week at 3°C.

How do you tenderise beef for Korean bulgogi?

Use grated Asian pear or kiwi fruit in the marinade. The enzyme calpain breaks down meat fibres. Use no more than 15g of pureed pear per 500g of beef flank or ribeye, and limit marinade time to two hours. Exceeding this ratio or time turns the beef mushy on the grill, ruining the bite required for service.

The library is just the prep work

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