Ingredient Substitution
Bulgogi Hello Fresh Sauce is a delicious blend of complex flavors. While the soy sauce adds a tasty umami flavor, the pear juice and sugar add a pleasant sweetness. At the same time, the ginger and garlic add even more complexity to the Bulgogi.
With so few ingredients, there seems to be no room for adjustment, or is there?
Consider these substitutes for your Bulgogi sauce.
Honey
With a few simple recipe modifications, honey is a perfectly suitable substitute for brown sugar in your Korean Bulgogi Sauce. However, due to the liquid nature of this sweetener, you will need to account for the additional moisture and cooking time.
So, substitute the same amount of honey for the brown sugar, but keep the cooking time in mind. You may need to reduce it by a few minutes, as honey caramelizes much faster than brown sugar.
Apple or pineapple juice
Traditionally, Bulgogi sauce is made with Korean pears. As it is something that you cannot easily find, pear juice is used in this recipe.
Still, if that’s not an option for you, you can use apple juice. It is widely used as a substitute for pear juice, as it equalizes its flavor and sweetness. The same goes for pineapple juice.
It will taste a little different, but this substitute also works to tenderize your Bulgogi and adds some needed sweetness to the sauce.
Sesame oil
Sesame oil adds a real earthy, nutty flavor to the sauce. So instead, we suggest you use other nut oils, such as walnut oil.
But since it might not be a regular stock in your pantry, the best substitute for sesame oil would be olive oil. In fact, it has an impressive nutrient profile and many potential health benefits.
So use the same amount of olive oil instead of sesame oil. But opt for a light olive oil, with a softer and more neutral flavor.
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