Gochugaru Chile Crisp by Chef Paul Wang

A crispy, crunchy chile topper for anything you want to add a touch of heat and texture to. 

*recipe by Chef Paul Wang

Ingredients:

• 1 c. Mother-in-Law’s Gochugaru Chile Flakes
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. white pepper, ground
• 1 tsp. sichuan peppercorn, crushed
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. ginger, finely chopped
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a medium heat proof bowl, combine gochugaru, soy sauce, white pepper, sichuan peppercorn, sugar, salt, and ginger. Mix together and set aside.
   
   
2. In a small saucepan, combine garlic and vegetable oil over low heat. Whisk together. (It is important that the oil is at room temperature when you combine it with the garlic.)
   
   
3. Fry garlic over low heat, whisking constantly (this allows them to fry evenly, without clumping). Garlic will slowly turn golden brown after 10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
   
   
4. Strain fried garlic through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heat proof cup or bowl. Reserve strained oil, and allow garlic to cool in the sieve.
   
   
5. Add the reserved oil back into a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
   
   
6. Heat oil to 375°F, or test it the old school way by adding a single flake of gochugaru into the oil - it should sizzle and crisp up right away. Remove from heat.
   
   
7. Carefully pour hot oil over the gochugaru mixture. The mixture will bloom and begin sizzling. Gently stir and allow gochugaru crisp to come to room temperature.
   
   
8. Add the fried garlic into the gochugaru crisp and stir until well combined.
   
   
9. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 months. Stir well before serving.