When I was 6 years old, Papa put some crushed red chili on my soy sauce and vinegar mixture while I was eating my favorite fish. I threw tantrums at him because it's too spicy and he ruined my appetite. He made me quiet by saying, "You couldn't go to Heaven if you couldn't eat spicy foods"! Being a gullible little girl, I believed in his words and started adding peppers to my favorite dishes. My taste buds were able to tolerate it in the hopes of having a surefire way of going to Heaven! As I got older, I realized that Papa tricked me but it was too late to whine about that because I had already developed a penchant for spicy dishes!
As the years went by, my favorite local snacks with pictures of hot pepper were becoming almost tasteless. My dosage for this addiction was increasing! Were my cranial nerves becoming numb? What went wrong?
After my first Korean dining experience, I came to a conclusion that nothing was wrong with me and that my cranial nerves just need a good "kick" from spicier foods! I had immediately become a fan of Korean dishes. As I learned more about them, I was astonished that red pepper was introduced in Korea during the 16th Century due to the Age of Exploration. Although I've tasted non-spicy Korean foods, it's hard to imagine what it would be like if that historical moment never happened!
If it never happened, there would be no gochujang, a condiment that's bright red and sticky made from starch, powdered fermented soybeans, red chili powder, salt, & water. It goes well, not just with Korean dishes, but with Filipino dishes too. A tablespoon of gochujang mixed with a cup of steamed rice can make leftover viands seem like an exotic meal. It's a bit pricey for an ordinary worker like me but it's a red-hot addiction worth splurging for!
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