Rayu in the making, a condiment must-have!

This is a condiment that has become an essential in our house. Key to our weekend breakfast, savior from dull food and magic wand against time constraints.

My husband and I learnt about Rayu through Sarah Gavigan’s amazing cookbook “Ramen Otaku - mastering ramen at home”. Since then, we’ve made it time and time again. As with any good recipe we had made it personal with a few adaptations here and there. I hope this one serves as a springboard for your own version.

What you need for a 8-oz jar.

2 Tbs sesame oil

1 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger

2 scallions, white part only, chopped

2/3 to 1 cup gochujan chili paste

3 to 4 tbs Korean dry chili flakes

1/2 cup fried shallots (available in Asian markets)

1/2 cup fried garlic (Asian markets too)

1/3 cup black sesame seeds (or white)

1 Tbs sugar

3 to 4 Tbs soy sauce

Neutral oil, such as avocado oil, to fill up the jar

How to do it:

Add sesame oil, ginger and scallions to a pan on medium heat. Cook until fragrant—about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and transfer to a bowl (so it’s easier to mix in the rest of the ingredients). Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste it and adjust saltiness, sweetness and/or heat to your liking.

Transfer to a jar and cover with neutral oil by about 1/4-inch. Store in the fridge and use it within a month.

Use it as a condiment for anything and everything. Cook with it and make amazing rubs or sauces by just adding a bit of liquid. One of our favorite way to use it at home is mixed with some fat: either butter or avocado in tacos and toast—you’ll see.

Rayu Condiment

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