Why so behind?? Ketchup!!

So let me confess: my relationship with food has never been a healthy one. As evident from this shortlived blog, food has been both my best friend and my worst enemy. But enough about that because what I really wanted to say right now is that I think I have food ADD. I get bored with "regular" flavors easily, and I always want something new to eat. This is to the point where sometimes my boyfriend and I will drive ridiculous distances--arguing the entire way, nonetheless--about where we can eat to satisfy my bored palate.

Ketchup is a prime example of this. I loathe ketchup. It's so boring! However, I do understand the cultural significance of ketchup in American cuisine. It's the go-to dipping sauce for a multitude of vegetables, side dishes, and pretty much anything else one may think goes well with it. I mean I've seen my haole cousin pour ketchup on his rice and adobo plate and eat it happily while my family watched in horror. But hey, whatever floats your boat, you know? 

I digress, every culture has a similar "sauce" like ketchup. I mean, I have seen this many an occasion at my household: 

"ALL PURPOSE SAUCE". WTF is so "all-purpose" about it?!

Don't get me wrong, it's actually really yummy and we use it as a dipping sauce for lechon (see below) but it's basically a murky, brown, mystery sauce that I'm pretty sure is made from liver (which I can't stomach the taste of). Mmm... lechon...

This is how we do pig.

I think what gets me with the ketchup is that it's just everywhere and I grew up with it so the flavor is just worn out on my palate. And yeah, I'll admit that I'll eat it with my fries if there's nothing else around. But even then, if I have some hot sauce I'll mix it in to add some bite. I mean, ketchup? Bleh. But spicy ketchup? Oooohhh. Me likey. That brings me to my latest discovery in "all purpose sauce" substitutes... 

Two words: Korean Ketchup.

And I WILL make this a thing.

What's in it? Well, I think the better question should be "What's in ketchup??"

But since you asked...

Ingredientes!

Gochujang + Garlic + Honey

For my free-measure version of this recipe, keep reading! 

(Who needs measuring tools anyway??)

Gochujang is hot red pepper paste that you can find at any Korean supermarket (or any other "asian/oriental" market that might have Korean goodies). It's thick like peanut butter, but with a "tacky"-like texture. In order to get a more mix-friendly consistency, you have to loosen it up with a little water. 

Then add garlic:

When my friend showed me this recipe, he sliced big chunks of garlic pieces so that we could take the pieces and eat them with our samgyetang (which is also amazing, btw). If this is going to be more of a dipping sauce, I'd suggest either chopping the garlic finely or doing that Tyler Florence garlic paste trick with some coarse sea salt. 

Then add some honey to your preferred taste and voila! Korean Ketchup! 

Try substituting this for regular ketchup when eating fries or any other fried potato. MAGIC.

I'm sure there are many wide varieties of "Korean Ketchup" out there if you google it, but this is just what my friend showed me when he made me his favorite Korean dish. And he didn't call it "korean ketchup". It actually has a real name in Korea, but you can ask him what it is.