Tag: Gochujang

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Ssamjang (Gochujang-Doenjang Sauce for Wraps)

Ssamjang directly translates to wrap sauce or wrap paste in Korean – “ssam” means wrap and “jang” means sauce or paste. Just as the name suggests, it’s a condiment commonly used when assembling Korean wraps. It is usually made with gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste) and doenjang (Korean soybean paste) as its base. But there are no rules when it comes to ssamjang. You can add anything to your heart’s desire. I’ve seen it made with lots of garlic, cooked minced meat, chopped sautéed mushrooms, crushed tofu, and so on. You can go wild. Really.

I had some marinated bulgogi in the refrigerator. And I was really craving some ssam (Korean lettuce wrap). I could have had it with gochujang sauce, but I wanted something different – a new treat for my palate. I decided to make some ssamjang.

I love garlic, roasted or sautéed/grilled garlic in particular. So I decided to make the ssamjang with some sesame oil-sautéed minced garlic. And I upped the garlic quotient by sautéing some sliced garlic for additional topping for my ssam. The result? Sublime…

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Vegetarian Bibimbap with Gochujang Sauce

Cooking in a tiny NYC kitchen can be a challenge. Most of the kitchens in the home renovation magazines that are described as tiny are palatial compared to a small NYC kitchen. I guess it’s all relative, because some NYCers would say our kitchen is “roomy”. We have most of our bowls and plates still packed in boxes, because we just don’t have the storage for them. We make due with 3 bowls (my husband broke one), 3 salad plates (ditto on the husband), and 4 dinner plates. So nope; I’m not exaggerating when I say TINY.

When there is a lot of prep work involved, it’s a challenge – not only because of the lack of space, but also because my dinnerware often doubles as my prep bowls. I wasn’t surprised when I ran out of my bowls prepping for this Bibimbap. So I ended up serving this dish on plates. Bibimbap, which is normally a “rice bowl”, ended up being a “rice plate”. But it was so satisfying and delicious just the same…

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No-Cook Vegan Bibimbap


It’s been so sweltering hot in NYC lately. I just can’t bear to cook anything over a hot stove top. Hmm… I look in my fridge and see that I have carrots, leftover Oi Sangche, romaine, and avocado. And I always have my go-to Korean hot chili pepper paste, Gochujang, in the pantry. Same goes for cooked rice in my rice cooker – a reason you should really think about investing in one if you don’t have one. Perfect for a simple Bibimbap.

I’m not a fan of complicated recipes with a list of 20 ingredients I’ve never heard of or will never use again. It’s a fun read, but not really practical in execution. I try to make my cooking as simple as possible so that I am more likely to cook – instead of just thinking that I should. No-cook bibimbap is a perfect example. Not only is it easy, it’s healthy. AND I am using up ingredients that may go bad in a few days. Simple and economical, it’s my kind of dish.

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Oi Sangche (Seasoned Sliced Cucumbers)

I grew up in a traditional Korean household where a “proper” Korean meal was served every night at dinner.  This consisted of a main dish, usually animal protein, and many side dishes, referred to as banchan.  One of my favorite banchan was Oi Sangche – seasoned sliced cucumbers.  Oi Sangche is also commonly referred to as Oi Moochim.  But my grandmother always called it Oi Sangche.  So Oi Sangche it is.

Things are quite different now.  There isn’t enough time in a day to prepare a complete spread. I’m lucky if I can make a main dish, let alone any type of banchan. But if I do afford myself the luxury of a side dish, Oi Sangche is among my favorites – especially on a hot summery day.  It is sweet, tangy, and spicy.  And, mmm…  So crunchy. Think instant cucumber pickle.

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Seasoned Gochujang

Gochujang, directly translated from Korean, means hot chili pepper paste/sauce. “Gochu” means hot chili pepper. And “jang” means paste or sauce. It is the condiment of choice in Korea. Gochujang can be served with crudités, sashimi, ssam (“wrap”), bibimgooksoo (“mixed noodles”), bibimbap (“mixed rice”), etc. It is also a commonly used ingredient in marinades and soups when preparing Korean dishes.

Traditionally, gochujang was made at home and fermented in an earthen pot. But with the wide availability of commercially produced gochujang, you don’t see much of the homemade stuff anymore. I must say though, my maternal grandmother still makes her own gochujang. AND she make it with chili peppers HARVESTED FROM HER OWN BACKYARD. It’s good stuff. When she gives us a jar of her homemade goods, it’s a real treat. Gotta love my grammy.

There are many ways to prepare gochujang as a dipping sauce/condiment. Splash some vinegar in it and serve it with sashimi. Add some duenjang (“soybean paste”) and serve it with ssam. Add something creamy like mayo or avocado to make it mellow and serve it with chips or crudités. Possibilities are endless. It all depends on your preference. Version below is probably the most basic. You can use it as a dipping sauce/dressing or sauce for bibimbap or bibimgooksoo.

Gochujang is savory, salty, and sweet all at the same time. But it can be very spicy. So tasters beware!

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