Gochujang saewu gui (spicy grilled shrimp skewers)

Sometimes it only takes one special ingredient to give a dish a total makeover. In this recipe, that one ingredient is gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste).

Simply add a couple spoonfuls of it to your usual marinade for grilling shrimp. It turns what would have been ordinary grilled shrimp into something totally different and delicious. How can you go wrong with gochujang? This grilled shrimp is savory, peppery, slightly sweet, and spicy. Add a little bit of sugar if you’d like it sweeter. To complete the meal, serve with grilled vegetables or a summer salad.

Ingredients:

● 450 grams large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, tail on, and deveined

For the marinade:

● 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or more to taste)

● Juice of 1/2 of a fresh lemon (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)

● 2 tablespoons Korean red chili pepper paste (gochujang)

● 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste

● Finely chopped scallion or garlic chives for garnish (optional)

Soak wooden skewers in water while preparing the shrimp. Rinse the shrimp and drain. Thread the shrimp on to the skewers.

Mix all the marinade ingredients well in a bowl.

Spoon (or brush) the marinade over the shrimp to coat evenly. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat a lightly oiled grill. Grill the shrimp over moderate heat until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes each side. Do not overcook. Baste the shrimp with any remaining sauce while grilling. You can also cook the shrimp in a grill pan over medium high heat.

Garnish with the optional scallion or garlic chives to serve.

By Ro Hyo-sun

For more recipes, visit www.koreanbapsang.com.