Red Pepper Paste?

Question

I hav bought this from the Japanese store, though I suspect it's Korean. I don't think it's curry paste. The instructions are so vague, I'm not sure what to do with it, can you help please?

Answer 1

I don't know any japanese red pepper paste but You can use an ordinary red pepper paste in any dish you want to, just like tomato paste. It is good with casserole dishes. But do not use it in large amounts otherwise it can ruin the overall taste of the dish.

Answer 2

I think I know what it is you have, taste a little of it, if it is very salty it is probably a paste in which salt has been used to dehydrate the pepper and it is then mashed up, if it is this then you can use it in anything you want to add the flavour of red pepper to, ie stews, pot roasts, gravies etc, it can also be used in marinades for meat. One word of warning, as the red pepper paste was made using salt, be careful abut the amount of salt you would normally put into food, use the paste then re season your food.

Good luck

Answer 3

it might be a dipping paste for sushi

Answer 4

It sounds like kochujang - Korean ground red chili pepper paste.  You can put this on noodles, dip veggies in it, wrap grilled meats in lettuce and dip the bundles into it - lots of things.  It can also be used to make a great spicy sauce for pork and chicken, and chicken wings made using this are awesome.  

Here's a recipe for making the sauce:

2 tbs kochujang

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

2 green onions, minced finely

2 tsp sugar

Mix all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator.

* If you really like heat (and I do), add a teaspoon of Korean ground red chili pepper flakes.  :)

Answer 5

It's Korean. When you go to a Japanese restaurant or store in the U.S., more than likely, it is owned by a Korean. I have no idea why, I've just noticed that.

Koreans use red pepper paste in about everything. They use it marinate meat, flavor all sorts of dishes, as a condiment, etc.

Besides cooking Korean recipes with it, which are all delicious but probably foreign and intimidating to make to non-Koreans, just use it whenever you need a kick of spiciness in a dish.