Gochujang Beef and Chaya Pasta

Name: Gochujang Beef and Chaya Pasta
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Korean-Costa Rican Fusion
Ingredients: 12 oz short pasta (cavatappi or shells); 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or gouda; 1/4 cup grated parmesan; 2 tbsp butter; 1 lb ground beef; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tsp grated ginger; 1 tbsp lime juice; 1 scallion; 8 oz chaya leaves; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 pinch; 3 eggs; 1/2 cup pickled jalapeño and carrot (escabeche); 2 tbsp gochujang and/or Lizano sauce; 4-5 cloves garlic; 2-3 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Gochujang-glazed beef and chaya over a cheesy pasta base, finished with pickled jalapeño and carrot, a fried egg, and your choice of gochujang or Lizano sauce.

Korean-Costa Rican Fusion 40 min 3 servings

MainsPastaBeefFusionKoreanCosta Rica

Ingredients

3 srv

12 ozshort pasta (cavatappi or shells)
1 cupshredded sharp cheddar or gouda
1/4 cupgrated parmesan (optional, for a nuttier finish)
2 tbspbutter
1 lbground beef
2 tbspsoy sauce
1 tbspsesame oil (for the beef)
1 tbspbrown sugar
3 clovesgarlic (minced, divided (2 for beef, 1 for chaya))
1 tspgrated ginger
1 tbsplime juice (stirred in off heat to brighten the beef glaze)
1 scallion (sliced (swap for chopped culantro coyote if using Lizano))
8 ozchaya leaves (stems removed)
1 tspsesame oil (for the chaya)
1 pinch (salt, for the chaya)
3 eggs (fried, sunny-side up)
1/2 cuppickled jalapeño and carrot (escabeche) (drained)
2 tbspgochujang and/or Lizano sauce (to taste)
4-5 clovesgarlic (thinly sliced, for fried garlic chips (optional))
2-3 tbspneutral oil (for frying garlic chips (optional))
1 tbspsesame seeds

Instructions

1
(Optional) Make the fried garlic chips: thinly slice 4-5 garlic cloves and fry in 2-3 tbsp neutral oil over medium-low heat, stirring often, until golden, 2-3 minutes — watch closely, it burns fast. Drain on a paper towel; save the garlic oil for drizzling if you like.
03:00
2
Cook the chaya first since it needs the longest simmer and must be fully cooked before eating — bring a pot of water to a boil and simmer the chaya leaves 10-12 minutes until fully tender. Drain, squeeze out excess water, chop roughly, and toss with 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp sesame oil, and a pinch of salt.
12:00
3
Bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, about 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
11:00
4
While the pasta cooks, mix the ground beef with soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, brown sugar, 2 minced garlic cloves, and ginger. Cook in a hot skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until browned and the liquid has reduced to a glaze, 6-8 minutes. Off heat, stir in the lime juice and sliced scallion.
02:00
5
Return the drained pasta to the pot over low heat. Add the butter and cheese, plus a splash of the reserved pasta water. Stir until melted and creamy.
6
Fry the eggs separately, sunny-side up, with crispy edges and a runny yolk.
7
Divide the cheesy pasta among bowls. Top with the beef and chaya.
8
Finish each bowl with the pickled jalapeño and carrot, a fried egg, fried garlic chips, sesame seeds, and gochujang or Lizano sauce to taste.

Notes

Chaya must be cooked thoroughly before eating — raw leaves contain cyanogenic compounds that cooking neutralizes. Gochujang and Lizano hit different registers — gochujang brings fermented heat, Lizano brings tangy sweetness — so put both on the table and let people choose, or mix them. If you're leaning into the Lizano version, swap the scallion for chopped culantro coyote for a more distinctly Costa Rican finish. The pickled jalapeño and carrot is doing the acid/crunch work that raw shredded carrot can't — don't skip it.

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