Chili Bibim Sauce, doctor up!

If I ever forced to live in deserted island....,

And I'm allowed to take only one Korean condiment with me...,

It will be Gochujang, the Korean chili paste.

Koreans can't live without this divine spicy paste, and I am one of them.

Gochujang is a father condiment of all spicy sauce in Korean cooking along with gochugaru (chili flakes).  I am so happy to share with you a very special recipe today. It is chili bibim sauce, doctored up gochujang sauce for dishes like Bibimbap.

I like Bibimbap, the Korean rice bowl with loads of vegetables. I would pay extra money for a good Bibimbap if I have to. What makes good Bibimbap? The secret is in the sauce. 

It has a little bit of ground beef and honey in it. It is not only good sauce for Bibimbap, but excellent to top the plain rice. You can substitute the beef for mushroom instead if you are vegetarian. The beauty of this sauce is that you can store for quite a long time. I often use as topping on my rice and wrap with lettuce. Perfect for easy quick lunch!

Let's doctor up this Korean goddess. It is super easy ans you will LOVE it! 

 You will need; ground lean beef, Korean chili paste, honey, sesame oil, Asian pear, onion, garlic, sugar(optional), corn syrup(optional), rice wine or Mirim. Add sesame seeds in this group as well.

 

 Cut up onion and pear, put them in the blender with garlic, Puree their lives.

 Pour the puree in the pan, add beef and 1Tbsp sugar (optional).

 Cook the beef in puree, smashing with spatula over medium heat. You don't want any big chunks of beef in the sauce. Well, doesn't look so appetizing at this point...

Now, time to drop the bomb. The gochujang! Only 1/2 cup but add more if you dare. Mix!

 Add honey. The amount is up to you depends on how sweet you want your sauce to be. Don't make it too sweet. Mix well and let the sauce thicken as you stir over medium low heat. They will thicken more as they rest in the fridge.

 Turn off the heat. Drizzle sesame oil and add sesame seeds. Add corn syrup for some shine.

Scary? Do not judge.
Wait until you taste it. You will lick your finger off.

You'd better go cook up some rice.

Dot with the sauce and taste...

If you have some lettuce lingering in your fridge, 

wrap it up.

Mmmmm, who knew that gochujang can be this good?

My next recipe?

Bi Bim Bap!

Of course.

Chili Bibim Sauce

(약고추장, yock gochujang)

1/4 lb lean ground beef

1/4 large onion or 1/2 small onion, cut up

1/2 Asian pear, peeled and seeded, cut up

2 small garlic cloves

1 Tbsp sugar (optional)

1/2 cup Korean chili paste, gochujang

2-3 Tbsp honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 tsp corn syrup (optional)

Put onion, pear, and garlic in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the puree to the pan, add ground beef and sugar (if you wish). Cook over medium heat. Smash the beef with spatula to remove any clumps as you cook.

When the beef is cooked and the mixture is brownish in color, add gochujang and mix well. Add honey and thicken the sauce over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes. Don't thicken too much. The sauce will get thicken even more as it rest and stored in the fridge.

Remove from heat, drizzle sesame oil, add sesame seeds and corn syrup for shine. Mix well until combined. Store in a airtight container in the fridge for a couple of month.

Note: Serve as Bibimbap sauce or topping for plain rice.

Printable recipe