Yesterday, I got pinged by three different friends - One in Manhattan Beach, one in New Zealand and one in New Jersey about how they are excited about my experimentations with Korean spices and why I need to share recipes of the food that I cook.
So, today, let me introduce you to a Korean chili paste called Gochujang. In today's 'side dish' recipe, we will sauté asparagus and dress it with gochujang. In my book, this paste is SPICY so very little goes a long way! And yes, it is vegan so that's a green signal for anyone with that dietary requirement.
Ingredients for the Saute
A bunch of asparagus, about 1 lb, or 500 grams (Substituting with green beans is OK)
Salt and pepper
Minced or finely chopped garlic clove (about a tablespoon)
Tablespoon of sesame oil
Tablespoon of Gochujang (most brands are vegan)
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar (Substituting with white vinegar is OK)
Before Serving Sprinkle
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Process
Wash asparagus and then chop off the woody ends. If you plan to share, cut them into bite size pieces which can be easily picked up by a fork.
Heat a flat pan. Pour the sesame oil and then add the cut asparagus and sauté them until you see a little browning / charring. A dash of salt will make it cook faster.
While that is cooking, make your sauce with a half a tablespoon of Gochujang and add more based on how comfortable you are with the level of spice. Add water to make a smooth paste.
Note: Do not add too much water. A watery sauce will feel devoid of flavor. A thicker sauce will coat the asparagus better.
Reduce the heat of the asparagus pan to low and then add this thick sauce to the pan and cook for a few minutes.
Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving plate, add the vinegar and mix. Sprinkle sesame seeds before taking it to the table.
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You will see a few affiliate Amazon links in this post. These are the products I bought to make this dish or purchased in the past. Know that if you go through them and make a purchase, I will earn a commission.
