korean-cuisinespicy-hot
For the typical palate of most people from English-speaking countries, just about all Korean food is spicy.
But for those of us who love hot spicy food, I want to know if there are certain specific meals in Korean cuisine which generally have the reputation of being the hottest.
For comparison I know I have Mexican friends that think certain Mexican dishes are too hot for them. Are there some Korean dishes that even some Koreans avoid for being "too spicy"?
Toasted sesame oil is usually the go-to for Korean cuisine. It is included as a seasoning in the last steps of the recipes you link.
Sesame oil is typically used for seasoning, not cooking with. Some types of sesame oil may be appropriate for stir frys and such, but I don't think I've ever used toasted sesame oil (the very strong smelling, flavored one) for that kind of use.
The world record holder is currently the Carolina Reaper according to Guinness (as of AUG 2013).
This pepper began its family tree as a crossbreed between a Ghost Chili pepper and a Red Habanero.
The LA Times reports that the hottest Reaper has been clocked at 2.2 Million Scoville units. That's higher than some commercial pepper spray products. They go on to cite a study conducted by Winthrop University (South Carolina, US) that claims the average is closer to 1.5 M.
There is a hotter pepper contending for the throne. "Pepper X" (a codename pending a permanent name) is now supposedly clocking in over 3M but is pending Guinness verification.
What a time to be alive.
Best Answer
I found ojingeo bokkeum (오징어볶음), which is squid stir-fried in a chilli sauce, to be pretty intense, especially as a jeongol (전골) or stew, where it's both hot (as in spicy) and hot (as in temperature). The sweetness of the stew does nothing to lessen the intensity of the dish.
Also ridiculously spicy is buldak (불닭), which is again a stir-fry of chicken in a chilli sauce, with tteok (떡) or rice cake.