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A serve of soju and a dash of gochujang join forces for this fruity, spicy drink.
About the cocktail
Another cocktail to add to your umami, traditionally-used-in-cooking drinks list. First, it was miso, then parmesan, anchovies and soy. This time, however, we’re utilising the mouth-wateringly delicious gochujang – a Korean fermented soybean chilli paste. We’ve smashed it up with soju, a good helping of pineapple juice, lime juice and honey syrup, and friends, let us tell you, you’re gonna want to try it. But first, what does gochujang taste like and why did we choose to use it in a fruity cocktail? Gochujang is a popular Korean condiment, traditionally used in cooking and marinating. It’s a powerful mix of red chilli powder, fermented soybean (meju), glutinous rice, barley malt powder (yeotgireum) and salt. Traditionally, gochujang is left to ferment in earthenware (jangdok) in your backyard. The end product is this wonderfully savoury, sweet (that comes from the starch of the rice), spicy umami-ish paste. Because it’s such a unique and prominent flavour, we’ve used it sparingly to add a lovely deep spice to the drink. That heat complements the tropical sweetness of the pineapple and the zing of the lime extraordinarily well, also adding that fermented round umami mouthfeel to the cocktail. The finished product is a light pink, peachy coloured drink that has a lovely fluffy head thanks to the pineapple juice (and some vigorous shaking). It’s definitely one to be sipped in some sunshine, like any of your tiki-esque cocktails.
Ingredients: For the honey syrup
50mL water
150g honey
Ingredients: For the drink
45mL soju (plain, or pick a flavour that works with the other ingredients)
60mL pineapple juice 15mL lime juice 15mL honey syrup 3-5 mint leaves 1-2 teaspoons of gochujang paste (depending on how spicy you like it) Garnish: mint sprig, fresh pineapple slice/orange slice, cherry Glass: tall glass
Method: For the honey syrup
Add honey to a jug
Pour in boiling water and stir thoroughly until dissolved Leave to cool and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks – this recipe makes enough for around 160mL of honey syrup – or roughly 10 cocktails
Method: For the drink
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake hard but briefly – for about 12-15 seconds
Chuck some ice into a tall glass Strain the cocktail into your glass To garnish, pop in some fresh mint sprigs and skewer a piece of pineapple or an orange wedge to a cherry and place alongside
Dan’s top tips
In our suggested Summer In Seoul cocktail recipe, we’ve used the gochujang paste quite sparingly, as it has a powerful taste. But if you love your drinks with a bit of heat, feel free to add as much as you like. Because there is pineapple juice in our cocktail, you want to make sure you shake it hard to get that wonderful foamy top. But be wary – we’re serving it over ice, so you don't want to over-dilute it by shaking for too long; 12 to 15 vigorous seconds are adequate. Lastly, prior to straining, measuring or shaking, be sure to stick your glasses in the freezer to frost, and prepare your garnishes. That way your drink stays fresh and isn’t fiddled with after straining.
image credits: Charlie Hawks
