Soju (소주) is a popular Korean alcoholic drink, often served chilled in small glasses with food. I mainly use it to make fruit liquors, and I also use it in cooking.
Choosing soju for my recipes
I use plain soju without added fruit flavors. For watermelon soju (수박소주), I want the fresh watermelon flavor to stand out without another fruit flavor mixed in. The alcohol content varies by product, and some bottles are stronger than others, so check the alcohol percentage (ABV) on the label.
How I use soju
I use soju to make maesilju (매실주), a fragrant green plum liquor, after making maesil cheong (green plum extract). When I start making the extract in spring, I wait 100 days, separate the extract from the fruit, and add soju to the leftover plums. By Christmas, the liquor is full of plum fragrance! My recipe explains how to make both the extract and the liquor.
Soju is also an ingredient in my yakgwa (Korean honey cookies).
I have also used soju to make grape liquor at home. It is another way I have enjoyed infusing fruit flavor into soju.
Soju sold at a Korean grocery store in Los Angeles
