Chili pepper

Taste and Texture

Chili peppers offer a fresh, vegetal aroma close to green peppers and a sharp, lively spiciness. In many peppers, the heat is strongest near the seeds and the white inner membranes, so different trims can change the intensity. Raw peppers are crisp with moisture, but heat quickly softens when cooked. Thin slicing disperses aroma quickly and distributes heat evenly, while larger slices produce intermittent spiciness as you chew.

Main uses

• Add to miso stew, kimchi stew, or clear broth soups in thin slices to enhance a sharp aroma.
• In stir-fries with sweet-salty sauces like spicy pork or squid, add to reduce heaviness and boost color.
• Raw in marinades or mixed with soy sauce, miso, or gochujang in bibimbap for a crisp contrast.
• Made into gochujang pickles or gochujang-brine, served with rice, noodles, or grilled dishes.
• When paired with meat or fish grills, they can add spicy aroma behind the fatty flavors, but very hot peppers can mask the dish’s inherent flavors.

Preparation tips

• Rinse under running water, pat dry, and remove stems. If moisture remains, oil may splatter during stir-frying and seasoning may become thin.
• If you want to reduce heat, split lengthwise and scrape out some seeds and white membranes. Note that the aroma may also weaken, so leaving a few seeds is better for dishes needing a sharp aroma.
• For broth-based dishes, slice about 0.5 cm to distribute flavor evenly. For stir-fries or side dishes, cut diagonally into larger pieces to keep texture.
• After handling, the spicy compounds can remain on hands, knife, or board, so wash thoroughly before handling other ingredients, especially fruits or milder vegetables.

Cooking characteristics

• Frying in oil first allows the pepper’s aroma and heat to infuse the oil, making the overall dish more vivid. If the heat is too strong or cooked too long, the skin may burn and taste bitter; once the aroma rises, add the next ingredient.
• In broth, the heat will spread, but the crisp texture fades quickly. If you want to chew on peppers, add them 1–2 minutes before finishing; to make the broth punchier, add them earlier.
• If left in contact with salt or soy sauce for too long, moisture can be drawn out and they become soft. For crispiness in salads, chop just before tossing with sauce.
• When paired with tangy vinegar or pickling liquid, the fresh aroma of raw peppers softens somewhat. If you want a strong fresh pepper aroma, raw preparation or finishing garnish is better than pickling.

Good combinations

• Using garlic, green onion, and onions helps the pepper’s sharpness carry naturally among seasonings.
• Seasonings with umami and salty balance like doenjang, gochujang, or soy sauce support the pepper’s heat, and mild ingredients like tofu, potato, or zucchini nicely reveal the spiciness.
• Pork or fatty fish pair well with raw or quickly sautéed peppers, but if the dish already has gochutgaru or gochujang, reduce the amount to avoid overpowering heat and green aroma.
• Sesame oil can round the fresh aroma of peppers in salads, but if you want a bright and clear spicy aroma, use only a small amount.

Points to consider when substituting

• If you need mild peppers but none are available, you can thinly slice green peppers (bell peppers) to add aroma and crunch, but note they have almost no heat, so for dishes where a sharp heat is essential, adjust with gochugaru or other chili peppers separately.
• Using gochugaru instead of fresh peppers adds heat and red color more easily, but cannot replicate the fresh crunch and aroma of raw peppers. Better for dishes where texture isn’t crucial like soups or sauces.
• For salads or wraps needing crisp texture, cucumber or radish can be substitutes, but flavor direction will differ. Decide first whether heat is essential for the dish.
• Pickled peppers are saltier and more sour than fresh peppers, so they aren’t a direct substitute for fresh peppers. When using in stir-fries or salads, start by reducing the salt, soy sauce, and vinegar in the seasoning and taste.