Kōrēgusu

Kōrēgusu (Japanese: コーレーグス from Okinawan: 高麗胡椒 こーれーぐす kooreegusu, a type of hot chilli pepper) also called kōrēgūsu (コーレーグース) and kōrēgusū (コーレーグスー) is a type of Okinawan hot sauce made of chillis infused in awamori rice spirit and is a popular condiment to Okinawan dishes such as Okinawa soba.

Etymology and background

Since at least the 16th century, the term "Goryeo pepper" has been used for varieties of the frutescens chilli (and this usage is retained in some Kyushu dialects). In the Okinawan language, kooreegusu (高麗胡椒 こーれーぐす) still refers to the chilli pepper itself^[1] but in Japanese, the term is applied to the awamori hot sauce while shima tōgarashi (島唐辛子, lit. "island chilli pepper") is used for the chilli.

According to the Record of the Origin of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, the chilli was introduced by the Satsuma in the 18th century. There is a theory that the hot sauce might have been developed from Hawaiian chili pepper water by returning Okinawan migrants but its exact origin is unknown.

Preparation and uses

The chilli peppers are washed and then soaked in awamori for at least 10 days.^[2] Kōrēgusu is a commercial product (with added vinegar and citric acid) but is also often homemade.^[2] 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 and some of the other Sakishima Islands, it is also common to use crushed chillis or to form a paste by mixing it with garlic.

Kōrēgusu is a common tabletop condiment in the Ryukyus^[2] used on Okinawa soba, chanpuru, irichii, sashimi and miso soup. 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