Re: Question about soy bean paste..

You are referring to some brand’s package colors. Some other brand may use different colors for the same products. In the Korean marts, there are many brands of pastes, making shopping more challenging.

What are the descriptions on the packages?

The main pastes are kochu-jjang (red-pepper paste) and toen-jjang (soybean paste, similar but NOT the same as Japanese “miso”). There is also jja-jjang, the blackish-brown paste used almost exclusively for jja-jjang-myun. The three are totally different in taste and usage and are NOT inter-changeable.

If you get to know Maangchi’s recipes, you will become most familiar with kochu-jjang and toenjjang.

But just like American products, there are differences in the tastes of these major pastes between the different brands. Some may be more sweet, some more salty, etc.