What is gochujang? Understanding the spicy Korean chile paste — just don't call it the 'next Sriracha'
If you've ever been to a Korean restaurant, you've undoubtedly encountered gochujang. It adds the heat to bibimbap, lends the rich red color you see in tteokbokki, stir-fried rice cakes, and forms the backbone of ssamjang, the sauce most often served with Korean barbecue.
It also looks ferocious. Even the packaging does. Almost every container of the Korean paste is bright red, with pictures of chiles plastered all over the label in case you didn't get the hint. Pop open the container, peel back the plastic covering
