This is the house sauce. Learn the ratio and you can build tteokbokki, a bibimbap dressing, a stir-fry glaze, or a dipping sauce without a recipe.
The ratio
Four parts gochujang, three parts soy sauce, three parts sugar or syrup, two parts water. Whisk until smooth. That is the backbone.
Build the flavour
From there, add what the dish needs: minced garlic and sesame oil almost always, gochugaru for more heat, a splash of vinegar for anything fresh or bibim.
Put it to work
Loosen with more water for tteokbokki, keep it thick for a glaze, thin it further for noodles. The ratio holds; only the water changes.
Eric’s tip
Balance heat with sweetness, not more chilli. If it bites too hard, a little more sugar or syrup rounds it out faster than anything else.