Korean chili pepper explained

Korean chili pepper
Species:Capsicum annuum
Origin:Korea
Module:
Embed:yes
Heat:Low
Scoville:1,500

Korean chili peppers or Korean hot peppers, also known as Korean red,[1] Korean dark green,[2] or Korean long green[3] peppers according to color (ripening stages), are medium-sized chili peppers of the species Capsicum annuum. The chili pepper is long, slender and mild in flavor and spice. Green (unripe) chili peppers measure around 1,500 Scoville heat units.[4]

Names

In Korean, the chili peppers are most often called (Korean: 고추), which means "chili pepper".[5] Green ones are called (Korean: 풋고추),[6] and red ones are called (Korean: 홍고추).

Introduction to Korea

Chili peppers, which originated in the Americas, were introduced by Portuguese traders to Korea, via Japan, in the late 16th century.[7] [8] [9] There is mention of chili pepper or mustard in Korea traced to Japan found in Collected Essays of Jibong, an encyclopedia published in 1614.[10] [11] Farm Management, a book from around 1700, discussed the cultivation methods of chili peppers.[12]

Culinary use

Korean chili powder
Hangul:고춧가루
Rr:gochut-garu
Mr:koch'ut-karu

Gochugaru, also known as Korean chili powder,[13] [14] is chili powder or flakes used in Korean cuisine.[15] The name gochugaru is derived from Korean, where (Korean: 고추) means 'chili pepper' and (Korean: 가루) means 'powder'.[16] [17] In English, gochugaru usually refers to the seedless, Korean variety of chili powder. It has a vibrant red color, the texture may vary from fine powder to flakes, and the heat level from mildly hot to very hot.[18] [19] Traditionally made from sun-dried Korean red chili peppers, gochugaru has a complex flavor profile with spicy, sweet, and slightly smoky tastes. Gochugaru made from Cheongyang chili peppers is finer and hotter.

In Korean folk culture

The use of red gochu pepper to ward off misfortune has been a shamanistic folk practice used in many aspects of ancient Korean life.

From the National Folk Museum of Korea:

Gochu, or red pepper, is used to cleanse impurities and to chase away evil spirits in the event of an illness or the birth of a son.

The pepper’s red color was believed to symbolize the sun and its spicy flavor to be effective for chasing away bad forces, while its shape was associated with the birth of a male infant.

The practice of attaching red peppers to the taboo rope (geumjul) hung over the gate to announce the birth of a son is observed around the country.

Upon the outbreak of a contagious disease, three red peppers are hung over the gate of a home along with the fastening ribbons from a shirt that belongs to a patient, while in some other regions, ten peppers are strung together with thread and hung near the gate.

In some regions, if no smell was produced after burning peppers, it was believed that the disease had been caused by a spirit angered by the breaking of a taboo, and a shamanic ritual or a village ritual was held.

In fishing villages, boat rituals (baegosa) and cleansing rituals include the sprinkling of red pepper powder, or soaking of red peppers or wood charcoal (sut) in jeonghwasu (fresh water fetched from well).

A taboo rope with red peppers was also hung over the gate when new sauce or paste was being made inside the home.[20]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Kim . Suna . Park . Jaebok . Hwang . In Kyeong . Composition of Main Carotenoids in Korean Red Pepper (Capsicum annuum, L) and Changes of Pigment Stability During the Drying and Storage Process . . January 2004 . 69 . 1 . FCT39–FCT44 . 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2004.tb17853.x .
  2. Book: Newcomb, Karen . The Postage Stamp Vegetable Garden: Grow Tons of Organic Vegetables in Tiny Spaces and Containers . 2015 . . New York . 978-1-60774-683-6 . 133 . registration . 10 July 2018.
  3. Book: Reddy . K. Madhavi . Shivashankara . K. S. . Geetha . G. A. . Pavithra . K. C. . Rao . N. K. Srinivasa . Shivashankara . K. S. . Laxman . R. H. . Abiotic Stress Physiology of Horticultural Crops . 2016 . . New Delhi . 978-81-322-2723-6 . 10.1007/978-81-322-2725-0_9 . Capsicum (Hot Pepper and Bell Pepper) . https://books.google.com/books?id=xuL7CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA159 . 10 July 2018.
  4. News: Baek . Sangkyung . [Consumer Journal] 辛맛에 빠진 대한민국 ]. 10 July 2018 . . 16 March 2017 . ko.
  5. Web site: gochu . ko:고추 . . . 27 July 2017 . 29 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072225/https://krdict.korean.go.kr/eng/dicSearch/SearchView?&ParaWordNo=18366&nation=eng . live .
  6. Web site: put-gochu . ko:풋고추 . . . 28 August 2018 . 29 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072223/https://krdict.korean.go.kr/eng/dicSearch/SearchView?&ParaWordNo=88718&nation=eng . live .
  7. Book: Guide to Korean Culture: Korea's cultural heritage. Korean Culture and Information Service, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. 2015. 9788973755714. 2015. Seoul. 131–133. 1995.
  8. News: Red Pepper and Kimchi in Korea. Park. Jae Bok. Spring 1999. Chile Pepper Institute Newsletter. 20 March 2017. 1. 8. 3. 7 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181007210343/https://cpi.nmsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2016/06/99-spring.pdf. dead.
  9. Book: Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Pickles & Relishes. Marianski. Stanley. Marianski. Adam. Bookmagic. 2012. 9780983697329. Seminole, FL. 45.
  10. Book: Handbook of Vegetable Preservation and Processing. Marcel Dekker. 2004. 978-0824743017. Hui. Y. H.. New York. 190–191. Ghazala. Sue. Graham. Dee M.. Murrell. K. D.. Nip. Wai-Kit.
  11. 지봉유설. Sugwang. Yi. Jibong yuseol 지봉유설(芝峯類說). ko. Joseon Korea. Topical Discourses of Jibong.
  12. Book: Hong, Manseon. Sallim gyeongje. Joseon Korea. lzh. ko:산림경제(山林經濟). Farm Management. https://web.archive.org/web/20170328021323/http://db.itkc.or.kr/index.jsp?bizName=KO&url=%2Fitkcdb%2Ftext%2FbookListIframe.jsp%3FbizName%3DKO&seojiId=kc_ko_g003&gunchaId=&NodeId=&setid=389232. 2017-03-28. dead. DB of Korean classics by ITKC.
  13. News: Sandwiches for Sandy Relief. Collins. Glenn. 4 December 2012. The New York Times. 27 July 2017. 26 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170826115318/https://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/sandwiches-for-sandy-relief/. live.
  14. News: A global guide to pickles. Khaleeli. Homa. 22 October 2013. The Guardian. 27 July 2017. 21 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230321122128/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/oct/22/guide-pickles-kimchi-achar-torshi-recipe. live.
  15. News: 5 must-try Korean dishes. Lamuye. Adebola. 7 July 2017. Evening Standard. 27 July 2017. 10 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170710150901/http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/foodanddrink/5-musttry-korean-dishes-a3582756.html. live.
  16. Web site: Gochutgaru. Korean-English Learners' Dictionary. National Institute of Korean Language. ko:고춧가루. 27 July 2017. 26 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170826115344/https://krdict.korean.go.kr/eng/dicSearch/SearchView?nation=eng&ParaWordNo=25597. live.
  17. Web site: Garu. Korean-English Learners' Dictionary. National Institute of Korean Language. ko:가루. 27 July 2017. 26 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170826113806/https://krdict.korean.go.kr/eng/dicSearch/SearchView?nation=eng&ParaWordNo=18366. live.
  18. Web site: Gochugaru: The Hot, Sweet, Smoky Red Pepper Powder That is the Taste Behind Many Korean Foods. Smith. Kat. 8 March 2017. One Green Planet. 28 July 2017. 3 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210603222547/https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/what-is-gochugaru/. live.
  19. News: Recipes: Korean soups with choose-your-adventure spiciness. Ried. Adam. 17 February 2017. The Boston Globe. 27 July 2017. 26 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170826152959/https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2017/02/17/recipes-korean-soups-with-choose-your-adventure-spiciness/TeAaBxHrvR9B2YkaLMResN/story.html. live.
  20. Web site: Jung . Yeon Hak . Gochu folk practices . National Folk Museum of Korea / Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

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