Smoky Ssamjang Dipping Sauce 🍯🇰🇷

Description

A thick, savory Korean ssamjang with fermented doenjang depth, gochujang warmth, and toasted sesame richness, made to cling to lettuce wraps, grilled meat, and rice bowls. 🍯
Hook ✨
Stir it once and your kitchen instantly feels like Korean barbecue night. 🔥

Ingredients

• 🥣 60 g doenjang, Korean soybean paste (¼ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🌶️ 35 g gochujang (2 tbsp / 1.2 oz)
• 🍯 20 ml honey or sugar syrup (4 tsp / 0.7 fl oz)
• 🥣 15 ml soy sauce (1 tbsp / ½ fl oz)
• 🍶 15 ml rice vinegar (1 tbsp / ½ fl oz)
• 🌿 15 ml toasted sesame oil (1 tbsp / ½ fl oz)
• 🧄 10 g garlic, finely grated (3 cloves / 0.35 oz)
• 🫚 6 g ginger, finely grated (2 tsp / 0.21 oz)
• 🧅 40 g scallions, very finely sliced (⅓ cup / 1.4 oz)
• 🌱 10 g sesame seeds, toasted (1 tbsp / 0.35 oz)
• 🌶️ 2 g gochugaru, optional (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🫙 2 g smoked paprika, optional (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 💧 15–30 ml warm water to loosen (1–2 tbsp / ½–1 fl oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Toast the sesame
2. Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 60–90 sec until fragrant, then cool 2 min. 🌱
3. 2️⃣ Build the base
4. In a bowl whisk doenjang, gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger until smooth, about 30 sec. 🥣
5. 3️⃣ Add smoky depth
6. Stir in gochugaru and smoked paprika if using, it should taste bold but balanced. 🌶️
7. 4️⃣ Adjust the texture
8. Whisk in warm water 1 tbsp at a time until thick and spreadable, like soft hummus. 💧
9. 5️⃣ Finish and rest
10. Fold in scallions and toasted sesame, then rest 10 min so the flavors round out. 🧅
11. 6️⃣ Serve
12. Use as a dip for lettuce wraps, a spread in rice bowls, or a quick sauce for grilled vegetables. 🍯

Total Time

⏱️ Prep: 5 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 2 min
🛋️ Rest: 10 min
⏰ Total: 17 min

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