Super Simple Steamed Young Chili Salad
Easy Recipe for Steamed Young Peppers (Ae-gi Gochu) Salad
It’s the season for abundant young peppers! This is a recipe for a delicious steamed pepper salad using young peppers (or Korean green chili peppers – kkwari gochu). It’s incredibly simple to make and packed with flavor, making it a perfect side dish that enhances any meal.
Seasoning Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp Soy Sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 3 Tbsp Oligosaccharide (or corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1.5 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- A pinch of Toasted Sesame Seeds
For Steaming Peppers
- 40 Young Peppers (Ae-gi Gochu or Kkwari Gochu)
- 2/3 cup Flour
- 40 Young Peppers (Ae-gi Gochu or Kkwari Gochu)
- 2/3 cup Flour
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, trim the stems off the young peppers (or kkwari gochu) and wash them thoroughly under running water. Pat them dry gently. Place the washed peppers into a large resealable bag. Add the 2/3 cup of flour. Close the bag securely and shake it well to coat the peppers evenly with a light dusting of flour. This flour coating will help create a wonderfully chewy texture and allow the sauce to adhere better after steaming.
Step 2
Line your steamer basket with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Arrange the flour-coated peppers in a single layer on the cloth, ensuring they don’t overlap too much. Cover the steamer with a lid and bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Steam for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, carefully open the lid and check the peppers. They are ready when the flour coating has turned translucent. Once cooked, remove the peppers from the steamer.
Step 3
While the peppers are steaming, let’s prepare the flavorful seasoning sauce. In a mixing bowl, combine 6 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of oligosaccharide, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1.5 tablespoons of gochugaru, and a pinch of toasted sesame seeds. Stir everything together with a spoon until well combined. Feel free to adjust the amount of soy sauce or oligosaccharide to suit your personal taste preference.
Step 4
Transfer the steamed peppers to the bowl with the prepared seasoning sauce. Gently toss the peppers to coat them evenly with the delicious sauce. Your simple and tasty steamed young pepper salad is now complete! Taste a piece and if it needs more saltiness, add a little more soy sauce. If you prefer it sweeter, add a bit more oligosaccharide. This dish is a fantastic accompaniment to warm rice.
