Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and follow the package instructions to cook the noodles to al dente.
In the meantime, prepare the garlic, shallot, and mushrooms.
In a large skillet (12-inch), preheat it over medium until it feels warm. Add 2 tbsp oil, garlic, shallot, and a pinch of salt. Saute for 15 seconds.
Add mushrooms, 1 tbsp oil, and another pinch of salt. Saute until the mushrooms turn slightly softer, about 3 minutes.
Push the mushrooms to the side of the pan and add the gochujang paste to the center. Stir and saute for 10 seconds to release the aroma.
Add the milk cream. Stir with a wooden spoon until the paste and the cream are fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat if you are still waiting for the noodles to get boiled so that the sauce is not over reduced
Once the noodles are cooked to al dente, drain the pasta and reserve ¼ cup of noodle water. Add the pasta to the pan, stir, and coat to combine with the sauce for 30 seconds.
Add the butter, continue to stir, and allow it to melt. The butter will give the noodles a shine and the sauce will turn thicker and glossier in about 3 minutes. If it feels dry, add the reserved noodle water.
To serve, transfer the pasta to a large serving plate. Sprinkle with parmesan and chive. Serve hot or warm.
Notes
Feel free to use store-bought gochujang paste. There are many gluten-free versions available but most of them contain corn starch. If you’d like to avoid cornstarch, I found this great one on Amazon from South Korea.
Types of pasta - you can use any types of pasta you prefer - spaghetti, rigatoni, rotini, or penne works great, too.
Boil the noodles to al dente - we finish cooking them in the pan so don’t overcook the noodles.
You can also use heavy cream to replace half-and-half for a richer taste. For dairy-free users, I recommend using original-flavored dairy-free creamer.
Save ¼ cup of pasta noodle water. You might not need it to thin the sauce but if you do, use the noodle water.
Be mindful of timing: The sauce and al dente pasta should finish around the same time. If the sauce is done first, turn off the heat so it doesn’t reduce too much.