A quick and easy Korean side dish (banchan) made with asparagus and gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste).
Here’s a quick and easy Korean side dish you can make with spring asparagus. Simply blanch (or steam) the asparagus and dress with a sweet and vinegary gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste) sauce, called cho-gochujang (초고추장). Cho is a short form of sikcho, which is vinegar.
Dishes seasoned with a vinegary sauce is often called cho muchim, so you can call this dish “asparagus cho muchim” or simply “asparagus muchim”.
You can also serve the gochujang sauce on the side as a dip along with blanched/steamed asparagus or other vegetables like blanched/steamed broccoli. Soaked miyeok (aka wakame) is excellent with this sauce as well.
Cho-gochujang is also popular as a dipping sauce for and seafood such as squid and raw fish (saengseon hwe, 생선회).
Everyone makes the sauce a little differently, but the key ingredients are gochujang, vinegar, and sugar (or corn syrup). Adjust the amount of vinegar and/or sugar to your taste.
If you like sweet and vinegary gochujang sauce, you may also like my Saewu ganghwe (spring onion tied shrimp and asparagus) and Ojingeo muchim (spicy squid salad).
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon salt
Sweet and sour gochujang sauce (Cho-gochujang)
- 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean red chili pepper paste
- 2 tablespoons vinegar - more if you like
- 1 tablespoon sugar - more if you like
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Remove the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut into about 2-inch lengths.
- Blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water until softened, about 1 to 3 minutes depending on the thickness. Remove with a strainer, and shock in icy cold water. Drain very well.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the asparagus, and toss well to mix.
Mitch says
Comes together lightning fast. Used rice vinager. Absolutely my new favorite way to eat asparagus.
Stella says
Loved this! Spicy and flavorful. Very delicious 🙂
Justin says
I have bought cho-gochujang as a prepared sauce, but now I’m very happy to be able to make it by myself. I love it on lightly cooked vegetables such as asparagus and broccoli.
Joanna says
can you store the asparagus? for how long?
Hyosun says
Blanched asparagus should be okay for 4 to 5 days.
SAndy Brown says
Made this for my Korean mother and she loved it. Thank you!
Hyosun says
Happy to hear that! Another Korean mom approved!
Dave says
Wonderful recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Andreas says
At this time of the year It’s “Spargel” Season in Germany again ….
and I just love this recipie. Although I substitute the sugar by honey.
In my opinion rice vinegar is the way to go (I get the vietnamese one here, don’t know if there are any differences) the destilled one is much stronger – at least to my taste.
Hyosun says
Oh that’s the German name for Asparagus? I learned something new today. Yeah I prefer rice vinegar in most of my recipes. Thanks for coming by and for the feedback!
Tony says
Hi Hyosun, I haven’t made this yet but I had some Korean style green beans the other night day and was wondering if this sauce would work with them.
On a side note have you ever heard of milk powder cookies? I found a recipe in Korean on YouTube that I took a bunch of screenshots of and had them translated. They were incredible. They seemed very French to me. Very light and flakey.
Hyosun says
Hi Tony – Yes it will. But, what you tried probably is braised in a sauce. It can be done mild or spicy. No I haven’t heard of milk powder cookies, but they sound so good!
Tony says
https://youtu.be/T7_vQkmLcCU
Here is the link
marti says
Hi Hyosu n…just tried this dish last night, and we looooved it!! Another definite keeper! Thank you for creating this wonderful food blog on Korean cooking.
Ginger and Scotch says
Made this recipe today – delish!
Hyosun says
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know.
Tim says
‘Twas delicious.. thank you for the recipe! Finally I can make some good chojang!! 😀
Hyosun says
Wow that was fast! Happy to hear that, and thanks for taking the time to let me know. Cheers!
Jerry says
is it rice vinegar or regular distilled vinegar.
Hyosun says
Either one is fine. I used rice vinegar. Enjoy!
Nathalie says
This look very good! I note the recipe, I’m gonna try this for sure! ☺
Hyosun says
Thank you, Nathalie! Enjoy!