# What was this Korean bean sauce? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120 "2009-02-16T17:37:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/1 "2009-02-16T17:37:35Z")
We ate for the first time at this Mexican/Korean restaurant (I know, right?) and it was AWESOME. My boyfriend’s meal came with a little pot of this dark red spicy bean sauce/paste stuff - it had a very rich flavor and was mild/medium spicy. We loved it and would like to get some for home, but what was it? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/2 "2009-02-16T19:24:49Z")
Possibly, it was the popular Korean, fermented hot bean paste, condiment, known as [Kochujang](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gochujang). ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/3 "2009-02-16T23:03:07Z")
Actually, it sound more like [Ssamjang](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ssamjang) to me. I love this stuff! ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/4 "2009-02-16T23:16:49Z")
“Dark Red” sort of indicated Kochujang to me. That Saamjang looks bright red. Either way, Kochujang is probbly an ingredient. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/5 "2009-02-16T23:20:18Z")
Probably, knowing Korean food… what tipped me towards Ssamjang was that the OP described it as mild/medium spicy, and Kochujang I would say is pretty spicy. Also, Ssamjang is more commonly provided in a dish for scooping out on a lettuce leaf with other stuff, IME. Either way, I think we’re safe in saying it was one of the two! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/6 "2009-02-17T01:02:26Z")
It wasn’t in a dish like a bowl, it was in a little lidded pot with a spoon in it. It came with the Bee Bim Bop, I think it was called. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/7 "2009-02-17T03:36:04Z")
One of my favourite meals is Korean BBQ, with kochujang-smothered miso-marinated kalbe. Add in some sauteed garlic cloves and wrap it in lettuce, and it’s hard to surpass. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/8 "2009-02-17T15:25:40Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > It wasn’t in a dish like a bowl, it was in a little lidded pot with a spoon in it. It came with the Bee Bim Bop, I think it was called. If it came with Bi-bim-bop, then most likely **devilsknew** is right, and it was Kochujang. Ssamjang is usually used with BBQ meat wrapped in lettuce leaves with various other sides. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-korean-bean-sauce/486120/9 "2009-02-17T20:12:44Z")
> [@Cerowyn](#): > > One of my favourite meals is Korean BBQ, with kochujang-smothered miso-marinated kalbe. Add in some sauteed garlic cloves and wrap it in lettuce, and it’s hard to surpass. QFT