Gochugaru Chile Flakes

Gochugaru Chile Flakes

A richer and more complex alternative to standard chile powder, gochugaru is sweet, hot and smoky, with some fruit tones as well. It is generally coarsely ground, between a flake and a powder.

This Korean staple is an essential ingredient in kim chi and bulgogi and most Korean dishes, but it was only adopted there about 500 years ago. “Gochu” means chile pepper and “garu” is powder. This is the Deolmaewoon, or mild version of gochugaru. It has a similar profile to Aleppo flakes and chile de arbol peppers. The Scoville rating is 1000 – 2500 HU.

Chefs often substitute other chile powder for gochugaru, but sacrifice the rich depth of flavors it carries.