Garlic lovers, where would we be without that unmistakable punch in our dishes? If you’re anything like us, garlic is a must-have in your kitchen. But if you flip through old cookbooks, one thing that stands out is how little garlic was used—like a scalloped potato recipe that calls for a clove to be rubbed on the inside of the dish but not actually added in. Can you imagine? Today, recipes with a quarter or even a third of a cup of garlic hardly make us blink.
Why the Garlic Explosion? For one, our collective tolerance for garlic has grown, but it’s also about convenience. Garlic has evolved too—you can now buy varieties with big, juicy cloves that make it less daunting to chop a lot, or grab a whole bag of peeled garlic cloves ready to go. Convenience and flavour? Yes, please!
But while garlic brings boldness, it’s not the only flavour powerhouse we’ve embraced lately. Enter gochujang, the fermented red pepper paste that delivers a sweet, spicy, and umami-packed punch. If you’ve never tried it, now’s the time to get on board. While some brands can be overly spicy or too sweet, the best ones strike a perfect balance.
At Flavourfull, we swear by Haechandle Gochujang, the best-selling brand in South Korea. Haechandle is to gochujang what Heinz is to ketchup - a brand known for consistency with a very loyal following. Haechandle uses high-quality ingredients and maintains a traditional fermentation process, giving it a perfect balance of heat, sweet and umami. They make their gochujang in both hot and mild varieties (perfect for those still building their spice tolerance), so there’s no reason not to give it a try!
Recipe Inspiration: Gochujang Buttered Noodles
If you're stocked with gochujang and garlic, you only need a few other ingredients to make our take on Eric Kim's Gochujang Buttered Noodles—a fast and addictive flavour-bomb of a meal. We dialed back the honey from the original recipe and added charred cabbage and peanuts to make it feel a little more substantial. It’s simple, satisfying, and full of bold, in-your-face flavours.
If you're stocked with gochujang and garlic, you only need a few other ingredients to make our take on Eric Kim's Gochujang Buttered Noodles—a fast and addictive flavour-bomb of a meal. We dialed back the honey from the original recipe and added charred cabbage and peanuts to make it feel a little more substantial. It’s simple, satisfying, and full of bold, in-your-face flavours.
Give it a try and let us know what you think. Tag us with your creations on social media—we love seeing how you bring bold flavours to life.
Gochujang Buttered Noodles
Using hot gochujang paste here will result in a decently spicy noodle, so pick a paste that matches your tolerance.
1 lb spaghetti or other long pasta or noodle
6 cups shredded cabbage
6 tbsp (75g) unsalted butter, divided
1/3 cup chopped garlic
1/4 cup Haechandle Gochujang paste
2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup sherry or apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
- Heat a wok or large heavy skillet on high heat. Working in batches, add cabbage to pan and cook for 1-2 min or until cabbage is wilted and lightly charred at the edges. Scrape onto a plate and reserve.
- Turn heat in pan to medium-low. Add 4 tbsp butter and garlic and cook for 1 min or until garlic has softened and smells sweet. Add gochujang, honey and vinegar. Turn heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 min or until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Add pasta, cabbage, and remaining 2 tbsp butter and toss to coat in sauce, adding in pasta water as needed to loosen. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with peanuts, green onions and cilantro.
Serves 4
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