Gochugaru (고추가루) has a few different English names under its belt. Namely, Korean chili powder, Korean chili flakes, Hot pepper flakes, red pepper flakes etc.Gochugaru is one of the most important Korean ingredients.
It is used in gochujang (Korean chili paste), kimchi, spicy Korean soups and stews (e.g. sundubu jjigae) and spicy Korean side dishes (e.g. Korean cucumber salad).
This is a more coarse version of gochugaru and it has more versatile usage in Korean cooking. It is used when making kimchi, and most Korean side dishes and Korean soups and stews.
Gochugaru - Korean Chili Flakes
Once you open the package, it needs to be kept in a cool shaded place. It can get moldy if you don’t store it well. I keep mine in an air tight container and in the fridge.
If you want to store it for a longer period, you can store in your freezer as well. Just seal it really well.
When gochugaru becomes hardened, you can use a food processor to separate it again. Just a few seconds pulse will fix it.