Green Korean Hot Chile Peppers
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 01/24/22
Description/Taste
Green Korean Hot chile peppers are elongated, curved to straight pods, averaging 8 to 10 centimeters in length, and have a conical shape tapering to a point on the non-stem end. The skin is waxy, glossy, and smooth, ripening from green to red when mature. Underneath the surface, the thick flesh is crisp, lightly striated, and pale green, encasing a central cavity filled with round and flat, cream-colored seeds. Green Korean Hot chile peppers have a sweet and sour, vegetal flavor mixed with a mild to moderate level of spice.
Seasons/Availability
Green Korean Hot chile peppers are available in the summer.
Current Facts
Green Korean Hot chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are young, immature pods that belong to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Native to Korea, there are many different varieties of Green Korean Hot chile peppers that may be labeled under various names such as Cheong-gochu, which is a general descriptor used for green pepper, Put-gochu, meaning a young and green chile pepper, or Yeori-gochu, which is a description used for an even younger version of the pepper. Green Korean Hot chile peppers are a common ingredient to find fresh in local markets and are favored for their crunchy consistency mixed with their unique, sweet, and sour flavor. While the mature version of these peppers is famous for its use in the Korean chili powder gochugaru, Green Korean Hot chile peppers are utilized in fresh, pickled, and lightly cooked preparations.
Nutritional Value
Green Korean Hot chile peppers are an excellent source of vitamins C and B12 and contain potassium, folate, fiber, and a small amount of vitamin A. They also contain a moderate amount of capsaicin, which is the chemical compound that triggers the brain to feel the sensation of heat or spice. Capsaicin provides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Applications
Green Korean Hot chile peppers are best suited for raw or lightly cooked applications such as sautéing or stir-frying. The peppers can be diced or julienned into salads and slaws, chopped with other vegetables into stir-fries, or mixed into soups and stews. In Korea, the fresh young peppers are dipped in fermented soybean paste, also known as doenjang, and are also popularly coated in other sauces as a flavorful side dish. In addition to sauces, Green Korean Hot chile peppers are incorporated into braised chicken or mackerel dishes, ox bone soups, and utilized in a less spicy version of kimchi. They can also be stuffed with beef or chicken, dipped in tempura batter, and fried for gochu-twigim. Green Korean Hot chile peppers pair well with garlic, onions, ginger, tofu, meats such as beef bulgogi, poultry, pork, and fish, sesame, noodles, rice, kimchi, spinach, cucumbers, and eggplant. Fresh peppers will keep up to two weeks when stored whole and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Korea, Green Hot chile peppers are synonymous with summertime cuisine and are a popular accompaniment to barbeque. The peppers can be seen growing in home gardens or in containers across metropolitan cities and are plucked off the plant for use in every day, home recipes. The crunchy texture and sweet and sour flavors of the pepper are showcased in gochu-jangajji, which are pickled peppers fermented in vinegar and soy sauce and in ssambap, which are crisp lettuce wraps. The peppers are most commonly used in light preparations to maintain the pod’s crunchy consistency and are covered in fresh, tangy sauces to create balanced dishes using a combination of sweet, spicy, sour, and savory flavors.
Geography/History
Green Korean Hot chile peppers are native to the Korean peninsula and are believed to date back more than two thousand years. They were likely spread to the Southeast Asian coastal country via the Silk Road trade routes through China and also by birds consuming the peppers and expelling the seeds through droppings. In Korea, the peppers adapted to the short, hot, and humid summers and became highly cultivated for their spicy flavors. Today Green Korean Hot chile peppers can be found throughout Korea at local markets and may be spotted in Korean or Asian markets in the United States and Europe.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Green Korean Hot Chile Peppers. One
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