Gochujang

If you have a vegetable garden, chances are that your produce drawer is overflowing with zucchini right now.

Zucchini

Simply grilled zucchini, sliced thickly and dressed with good olive oil and coarse salt is a treat, until it isn’t. As the season nears its end, this simple sauce adds some interest. It keeps well in the fridge and can be used on other vegetables. I am imagining roasted cauliflower or green beans in the future.

I whipped up a double batch to have on hand.

Grilled zucchini with spicy gochujang sauce

Note: I used to cut the zucchini into thin slices, about 1/4 inch. I found I prefer a thicker slice which retains some bite when cooked. But you can decide this based on your preference.

Spicy Gochujang Sauce for Vegetables:

2 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari, regular or low salt
1 tablespoon of seasoned rice wine vinegar (or 1 tablespoon of regular rice wine vinegar + 2 teaspoons of brown sugar)
1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
splash of orange juice

Zucchini:

4 or 5 zucchini, cut into thick slices
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
Fried shallots or onions for garnish

Method:

Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch strips, place in a colander with 1 teaspoon of salt, and mix until the salt covers each slice. Leave in the sink while you prepare the sauce. After 15 minutes I lay the zucchini on paper towels or a clean tea cloth and blot it dry. There is no need to rinse.
Grate the garlic or pulse until finely chopped in a mini food processor
Add the other ingredients, whisking to mix or pulse them all with the garlic
Add a bit more orange juice if needed to make a thick but pourable sauce
Grill the zucchini or cook stovetop with a bit of olive oil
Arrange on a platter, drizzle the sauce over, and sprinkle with fried shallots or onions

I use these shallots quite often as a garnish. You can purchase them online.

Fried Shallots

Grilled zucchini with spicy gochujang sauce

Have you had a chance to try the Korean chili paste, gochujang? If not, I recommend you find some. I certainly haven’t explored the full range of possibilities for using it. I do know it makes an amazing component of a marinade. If you have an Asian grocery near you, I am sure you will be able to find it. As I don’t, it was available to order on Amazon.

Gochujang

According to Google…

Gochujang or red chili paste is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu (chili powder), glutinous rice, meju powder (fermented soybean powder), yeotgireum (barley malt powder), and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process.

It is hot, but not overwhelmingly so. And the heat seems to dissipate when it’s cooked. It takes a starring role in this marinade recipe. I have used this marinade on both bone-on and boneless chicken breasts, and a whole roasted chicken. However, it would be equally delicious on a flank steak or baked tofu. You can marinate for an hour, or even better, overnight in the fridge.

Gochujang Marinated Korean BBQ Chicken

Korean BBQ Marinade

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons gochujang
2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons of unsweetened rice vinegar
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
For the sauce – 2 tablespoons of honey
Garnish – chopped cilantro, chopped scallions

Method:

For the marinade, combine all the ingredients, whisking to mix well.
Set aside about 1/3 of the marinade and mix it with the honey. You will use this to drizzle over the finished dish.
Brush all over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Brush with any remaining marinade and roast for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees F. I cooked my chicken breasts (boneless but with skin on) in the air fryer for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.