''Kōrēgusu'' ( ja, コーレーグス from ryu, 高麗胡椒こーれーぐす ''kooreegusu'', a type of hot

chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus '' Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...

) also called ''kōrēgūsu'' () and ''kōrēgusū'' () is a type of

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

chili sauce Chili sauce and chili paste are condiments prepared with chili peppers. Chili sauce may be hot, sweet or a combination thereof, and may differ from hot sauce in that many sweet or mild varieties exist, which is typically lacking in hot sauces ...

made of

chili Chili or chilli may refer to: Food * Chili pepper, the spicy fruit of plants in the genus ''Capsicum''; sometimes spelled "chilli" in the UK and "chile" in the southwestern US * Chili powder, the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties ...

s infused in

awamori ''Awamori'' (, Okinawan: , āmui'') is an alcoholic beverage indigenous and unique to Okinawa, Japan. It is made from long grain indica rice, and is not a direct product of brewing (like ''sake'') but of distillation (like ''shōchū''). The ...

rice spirit and is a popular condiment to Okinawan dishes such as

Okinawa soba is a type of noodle produced in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Okinawa soba is a regional collective trademark of The Okinawa Noodle Manufacturing Co-op. On Okinawa, it is sometimes simply called '' soba'' (or ''suba'' in Okinawan dialects), alth ...

Etymology and background

Since at least the 16th century, the term "

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unifica ...

pepper" has been used for varieties of the '' frutescens'' chili (and this usage is retained in some

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...

dialects). In the

Okinawan language The Okinawan language (, , , ) or Central Okinawan, is a Northern Ryukyuan language spoken primarily in the southern half of the island of Okinawa, as well as in the surrounding islands of Kerama, Kumejima, Tonaki, Aguni and a number of sm ...

, ''kooreegusu'' () still refers to the chili pepper itself but in Japanese, the term is applied to the awamori chili sauce while ''shima tōgarashi'' (, literally "island chili pepper") is used for the chili. According to the ', the chili was introduced by the Satsuma in the 18th century. There is a theory that the chili sauce might have been developed from Hawaiian chili pepper water by returning Okinawan migrants but its exact origin is unknown.

Preparation and uses

The chili peppers are washed and then soaked in

for at least 10 days. ''Kōrēgusu'' is a commercial product (with added vinegar and citric acid) but is also often homemade. The sauce is long-lasting but the liquid will eventually become cloudy and should be discarded. Some varieties of ''kōrēgusu'' are made with vinegar or soya sauce instead of awamori. In

Miyako-jima is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other populated island ...

and some of the other

Sakishima Islands The (or 先島群島, ''Sakishima-guntō'') ( Okinawan: ''Sachishima'', Miyako: ''Saksїzїma'', Yaeyama: ''Sakїzїma'', Yonaguni: ''Satichima'') are an archipelago located at the southernmost end of the Japanese Archipelago. They are part o ...

, it is also common to use crushed chilis or to form a paste by mixing it with garlic. ''Kōrēgusu'' is a common tabletop condiment in the Ryukyus used on

chanpurū is an Okinawan stir fry dish. It is considered the representative dish of Okinawan cuisine. Chanpurū generally consists of tofu combined with some kind of vegetable, meat, or fish. Luncheon meat (such as American Spam or Danish Tulip), ...

, ,

sashimi is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Origin The word ''sashimi'' means "pierced body", i.e. " 刺身" = ''sashimi'', where 刺し = ''sashi'' (pierced, stu ...

and

miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a dashi stock into which softened miso paste is mixed. In addition, there are many optional ingredients (various vegetables, tofu, '' abura-age'', etc.) that may be added depending on regional and s ...

. Due to its alcohol content and low viscosity, ''kōrēgusu'' can dramatically change the flavor of a dish even in a small amounts so judicious use is desirable.

References

Chili sauce and paste Japanese condiments Okinawan cuisine {{DEFAULTSORT:Koregusu