About Shibumi
- Known for
- Gochujang Aioli
Shibumi is known for gochujang aioli, a pairing of two sauces from opposite ends of the map: a fermented Korean chili paste and the garlic emulsion of the Mediterranean.
As a style of sauce, gochujang aioli is spread on fried chicken sandwiches and burgers, used as a dip for fries and roast potatoes, or loosened with lime juice and drizzled over rice bowls, grilled fish and charred broccoli.
Shibumi questions
What is gochujang aioli?
It combines two sauces. Aioli began as a Mediterranean emulsion of garlic and olive oil, and many versions today are closer to a garlic mayonnaise made with egg yolk. Gochujang is a Korean paste of red chili powder, glutinous (sticky) rice, fermented soybean powder and salt. Blended together, they make a creamy, spoonable sauce with chili heat and the savory depth that fermentation brings.
What does gochujang aioli taste like?
Gochujang is savory, sweet and spicy at once. The sweetness comes from fermentation, as enzymes (natural proteins that speed up chemical changes) break down the starch in the cooked rice into sugars, and the creamy aioli base carries all of it.
