This Korean Ingredient is Taking the Culinary World by Storm.

A perfect blend of spicy and smoky, this vibrantly red Korean spice is flipping the culinary world upside down. Gochugaru is a coarsely ground blend of red pepper flakes made from sundried red Korean chilies. When cooking real, authentic Korean food, having Gochugaru is an absolute must. Korean food is known for packing on the heat and in order to get true Korean flavor, Gochugaru cannot be substituted for anything else. There is truly nothing that comes close to the smoky, spicy, sometimes even sweet tasting, aromatic Gochugaru. Gochugaru is a main ingredient in one of the most widely recognized Korean dishes, kimchi. Kimchi is made of fermented vegetables, usually Napa cabbage or daikon radish. This traditional Korean dish is eaten frequently in Korean households and is made and stored using glass jars. One of the basic rules when making kimchi is: you must use Gochugaru, if you do not, you simply cannot call it kimchi! Gochugaru can also be used as an all around spice to bring heat to any meal. Try adding it to meatloaf or your hamburger meat to bring some fire to your palate!