KOREAN CHILI — DRIED ORGANIC
2025 Harvest · Certified Organic · No-Spray · Estate Grown Sebastopol, California
1oz kraft bag · $10 · Medium Heat

The chili that built Korean cuisine. Grown in Sebastopol.

Korean dried chili — the basis of gochugaru 고추가루 — is one of the most important culinary chilies in the world. It is the ingredient without which kimchi, tteokbokki, sundubu jjigae, and Korean BBQ marinades simply do not taste like themselves. Earthy, subtly sweet, with a warm medium heat that builds gently rather than hitting sharp — Korean chili is the definition of a chili variety whose character is as important as its heat.

We grow ours from authentic Korean seed stock at Radical Family Farms in Sebastopol — certified organic, no-spray, in Sonoma County soil. Dried at peak ripeness and packaged whole, so you can use them as-is or grind your own gochugaru as fresh as it has ever been.

The character:

Medium heat with a distinctive earthy sweetness underneath — nothing like the sharp brightness of Xiao Mi La or the fruity fragrance of Er Jing Tiao. Korean chili has its own identity entirely: warm, round, slightly fruity with a rich color and a heat that builds slowly and sits comfortably rather than challenging you. The color when ground is the characteristic brick-red of gochugaru — vivid and consistent.

Heat level: 🌶️🌶️ Medium
Comparable to Ancho chili in its warmth and approachability

How to use it:

The essential Korean uses:

• Kimchi — grind your own gochugaru from these whole dried chilies for the freshest, most aromatic kimchi you've made. The difference from store-bought pre-ground gochugaru is immediate.

• Gochujang base — the dried chili foundation before fermentation

• Tteokbokki — spicy rice cake sauce requires this specific chili character

• Korean BBQ marinades — bulgogi, galbi, dakgalbi — the warm sweet heat that makes these marinades distinctive

• Sundubu Jjigae — spicy soft tofu stew

• Japchae and bibimbap — added heat with Korean character

Cross-cultural uses:

• Mix with our Er Jing Tiao in chili oil for a Korean-Sichuan fusion base with complex layered heat

• Grind and use as a finishing spice anywhere you want warm medium heat with color

• Add whole to Korean-inspired hot pot broth

• Use in pickling brines for a Korean character in fermented vegetables

• Combine with our Duo Jiao for a Korean-Hunanese fermented chili condiment that shouldn't work as well as it does

Grinding your own gochugaru:
Use a spice grinder or high-speed blender. Remove seeds first for a milder, more aromatic result — or grind with seeds for more heat. Coarse-ground gochugaru is traditional for kimchi. Fine-ground works better for sauces and marinades. Grind in small batches and store in the freezer for maximum freshness.

2025 Harvest · Certified Organic · No-Spray · Non-GMO · 1oz · Sebastopol, California
Also available in the Organic Dried Chili Set of 4 and Sundays at the Sebastopol Farmers Market