Fermented Sauce (Jang)

Doenjang, otherwise known as soybean paste, is a Korean fermented ingredient used in much of the cultural cuisine. The word ‘doenjang’ (된장) derives from ‘doen’ (된) meaning ‘thick or hard’ and ‘jang’ (장) meaning ‘paste.’ This Korean ingredient has a complexly earthy and salty flavor with a rich umami profile unique to Korean cooking.

Gochujang, also known as Korean red pepper paste or red chili paste, is a condiment used in Korean cooking. Here, we learn how to use gochujang as well as where to buy it and how to store it.

Like in the United States, South Korea has a huge Chinese food takeout culture. Also like in the United States, Korean Chinese food has adapted and changed until it no longer tastes authentic to match the Korean preferences and palate. Undoubtedly, the most famous Korean-Chinese dish in and outside of South Korea is jjajangmyeon, a wheat noodle dish topped with a thick brownish-black sauce. The sauce used for jjajangmyeon is known as jjajang (짜장)–otherwise known as ‘fried sauce.’ The main ingredient of the jjajang sauce is ‘chunjang’ (춘장). Here, we will discuss chunjang as an ingredient as well as Korean-Chinese dishes made using this sauce.