Cheongyang chili pepper

Taste and Texture

When raw, there is a bright spiciness with a slight grassy bitterness. The flesh is relatively thin and crunchy, but finely chopped pieces release the spicy aroma before the texture is noticed. When heated, the fresh pepper’s grassy aroma softens and the spiciness disperses evenly into oil or broth. Pieces cooked for a long time become softer, but the spiciness does not disappear entirely.

Main uses

• Add sliced to soups like doenjang jjigae, kimchi jjigae, and soft tofu stew to enhance spiciness.
• In oil-based dishes like_jeyuk bokkeum (spicy pork), squid stir-fry, or fried rice, the spiciness spreads through the ingredients to reduce richness.
• Chopped and added to soy sauce or gochujang marinade for namul or pickles, and also used in simple side dishes or pickled items.
• Used as a finishing garnish for ramen or noodles, but due to quick extraction of heat, it's best to start with one or two slices and adjust.

Preparation tips

• Wash under running water, remove stems, and pat dry before slicing. Excess surface moisture can cause oil splatter and make ingredients soggy instead of sautéing.
• For broad distribution of heat in broth, thinly shredded slices are best. If you want some people to avoid it, split them lengthwise into relatively large pieces.
• To reduce刺激, scrape out seeds and white pith. Note that this does not fully mellow the flavor but lowers the刺激 to some extent.
• Keep hands away from eyes or face after handling, and wash knife and cutting board promptly after trimming.

Cooking characteristics

• Briefly sautéing in oil first helps the pepper aroma and spiciness infuse into the oil, creating a uniform spicy impression across the dish. If fried on high heat too long, the skin may become wrinkled, reducing grassy aroma and increasing bitterness, so add other ingredients once the aroma rises to a desirable level.
• In soups and hot pots, adding earlier makes the broth spicier, while adding near the end preserves greener color and fresher aroma. If the broth turns out to be spicier than expected, instead of diluting with water, adding ingredients like radish, tofu, or mushrooms that absorb flavors helps prevent the broth from becoming too thin.
• Spices or fermented pastes retain spiciness when cooked with it, and pair with the saltiness of doenjang, gochujang, and soy sauce. However, in dishes that already use a lot of red pepper powder or spicy pastes, adding additional peppers may emphasize stimulation over aroma.
• If raw and left for a long time, water may release during pickling or namul, thinning the seasoning. For a crisp texture, add just before eating, and if the seasoning becomes too thin, first adjust the remaining moisture rather than adding more peppers.

Good combinations

• Pair with doenjang, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, and scallions to create familiar Korean soup and seasoning flavors.
• For pork or fatty fish dishes, spiciness and fresh aroma balance the richness, while for dishes that rely on delicate sweetness, use only a small amount.
• Ingredients with mild flavors like tofu, eggs, mushrooms, or potatoes take on the heat of Cheongyang peppers well, helping balance stews or stir-fries.
• In salads or with sesame oil or perilla oil, the aroma can become strong, so if you want to preserve the pepper’s fresh scent, add oil only at the end.

Points to consider when substituting

• To lower heat while preserving the pepper’s shape, use regular green bell peppers and adjust quantity based on dish flavor and aroma. Note that regular green peppers can significantly reduce perceived heat even at the same amount.
• For stews or stir-fries where heat is needed, you can add a small amount of chili powder or spicy peppers to Cheongyang peppers, but powdered peppers can alter the color and texture of broth, so may not suit clear dishes.
• Other hot fresh peppers like jalapeño can be substitutes, but aroma, flesh thickness, and pickling state differ, so results may not be identical. For namul or toppings where fresh pepper aroma is important, choose fresh green peppers as close as possible to the original.
• Decide substitution based on whether the dish needs just heat or the lively fresh aroma. If heat is the goal, you can add more spicy seasonings in small amounts, but if you need crisp texture, a fresh pepper substitute is more suitable.