What cuisine typically uses gochugaru?

Gochugaru is a coarsely ground Korean chili powder similar to crushed red pepper flakes in texture, traditionally made from sun-dried peppers without the seeds. Gochugaru is an essential ingredient to Korean cooks everywhere for fiery flavor, a textured chili powder ranging from mild to hot, with a range of flavors depending on the peppers and preparation method. If offers a wonderful level of heat and spicy with touches of sweet and it is an important element in your arsenal for making authentic Korean cuisine.

Korean red chili peppers called 'taeyangcho', sometimes called gochu peppers, are the primary hot pepper in gochugaru. Blend or grind the dried chili until the consistency is that of flakes or powder.

Gochugaru’s flavor profile is more complex than the crushed red pepper flakes that you might find in the typical grocer’s spice aisle. For one thing, those flakes are typically made with cayenne pepper. Cayenne is notorious for adding heat but not a lot else to a dish. The dried peppers used in gochugaru are fruitier and bring a touch of smokiness. In short, the spice offers more than just heat.