Korean cuisine is a diverse and flavorful culinary tradition that is known for its bold and complex flavors. These flavors are achieved through the use of a wide variety of ingredients, many of which are unique to the cuisine. Some of the key ingredients you’ll find in Korean dishes include:
Paste
- Chunjang: Chunjang is a fermented black bean paste that is used in Korean dishes. It has a savory and slightly sweet flavor and is often used as a condiment or ingredient in sauces and stews. It is most famously used in the Korean dish jjajangmyeon, a noodle dish made with chunjang sauce, vegetables, and meat or seafood. Chunjang is also a key ingredient in many Korean marinades and is used to add depth and flavor to a wide array of dishes.
- Doenjang: Doenjang is a fermented soybean paste that is used in a variety of dishes. It has a savory and slightly nutty flavor and is often used as a condiment or ingredient in sauces and stews.
- Ganjang: Ganjang is a type of soy sauce that is used in many Korean meals. It has a rich and savory flavor and is often used as a condiment or ingredient in marinades and sauces.
- Gochugaru: Gochugaru is a type of Korean red pepper flakes that are used to add heat and flavor to dishes. It is often used in marinades and sauces and is a key ingredient in many Korean spice blends.
- Gochujang: Gochujang is a spicy and savory fermented red pepper paste that is a key ingredient in many Korean meals. It adds a bold and spicy flavor to dishes and is often used as a condiment or marinade.
- Ssamjang: Ssamjang is a spicy and savory paste made from a combination of doenjang and gochujang. It is often used as a condiment or dipping sauce for grilled meats and is a key component of many Korean barbeque cooking.
Grain
- Bori: Bori is a dried bean curd that is used in a variety of dishes. It has a slightly chewy and savory flavor and is often used as a protein source in soups and stews, or as a topping for many different meals.
- Chapssal: Chapssal is glutinous rice that is used in many meals. It has a sticky and chewy texture and is often used to make rice cakes and other traditional Korean desserts.
- Chapssalgaru: Chapssalgaru is red pepper flakes that are used to add heat and flavor to dishes. It is often used in marinades and sauces and is a key ingredient in many Korean spice blends.
- Heukmi chapssal: Heukmi chapssal is a version of glutinous rice that is made with black rice. It has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and is often used to make rice cakes and other traditional Korean desserts.
- Hyeonmi-chapssal: Hyeonmi-chapssal is glutinous rice that is made with a mixture of white and black rice. It has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and is often used to make rice cakes and other traditional Korean desserts.
- Mepssal: Mepssal is a type of Korean pork belly that is often used in barbeque cooking and other Korean recipes. It is typically marinated in a mixture of spices and sauces before being grilled or roasted.
- Naengdong mepssalgaru: Naengdong mepssalgaru is a type of Korean spicy pork belly that is often used in barbeque cooking and other Korean fares. It is typically marinated in a mixture of gochugaru (red pepper flakes) and other spices and sauces before being grilled or roasted.
- Nuruk: Nuruk is a fermented grain that is used in the production of traditional Korean alcohols, such as makgeolli. It is made by fermenting grains such as wheat or barley and has a slightly sour and yeasty flavor.
- Ssal-gyeo: Ssal-gyeo is a form of pickled cabbage that is often used as a side dish or topping for various Korean foods. It has a slightly sour and salty flavor and is often made with Napa cabbage, radishes, and other vegetables.
- Yeotgireum-garu: Yeotgireum-garu is a Korean roasted barley flour that is used in a lot of dishes. It has a slightly nutty and toasty flavor and is often used as a thickening agent in soups and stews, or as a coating for fried foods.
Milled
- Bokkeun konggaru: Bokkeun konggaru is a ground-roasted soybean flour used in various dishes. It has a nutty and earthy flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
- Chamgireum: Chamgireum, is a Korean sesame oil used to add flavor to foods. It has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor and is often used as a condiment or ingredient in various dishes.
- Chapssalgaru: Chapssalgaru is a type of Korean red pepper flakes used to add heat and flavor to dishes. It is often used in marinades and sauces and is a key ingredient in many Korean spice blends.
- Cheongpomuk-garu: Cheongpomuk-garu is a type of ground mung bean starch used in various meals. It has a nutty and earthy flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
- Deulkkae-garu: Deulkkae-garu is a form of ground perilla seed flour used in many dishes. It has a nutty and earthy flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
- Dotorimukgaru: Dotorimukgaru is a form of ground mung bean flour used in several dishes. It has a nutty and earthy flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
- Gamja-jeonbun: Gamja-jeonbun is a potato flour used in a lot of recipes. It has a nutty and earthy flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
- Garunok-cha: Garunok-cha is a type of roasted brown rice tea that is consumed as a beverage or used to enhance the flavor of various dishes. It has a nutty and toasty flavor and is believed to have a number of health benefits.
- Gochu-naengee: Gochu-naengee is a type of Korean hot pepper vinegar used to add flavor and heat to dishes. It has a spicy and tangy flavor and is often used as a condiment or ingredient in various fares.
- Gochujangyong gochugaru: Gochujangyong gochugaru is red pepper flakes made from a combination of gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) and gochujang (red pepper paste). It has a bold and spicy flavor and is used to add heat and flavor to the food.
- Hi-rice sauce garu: Hi-rice sauce garu is a rice flour that is used as a thickening agent in sauces and stews. It has a nutty and earthy flavor and is often used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour.
- Mejugaru: Mejugaru, is a roasted soybean flour used in an array of dishes. It has a nutty and earthy flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
- Ppanggaru: Ppanggaru is a Korean wheat flour used in various fare. It is often used to make pancakes and other baked goods and has a sweet and nutty flavor.
- Ssukgaru: Ssukgaru is a ground mugwort flour used in serval recipes. It has a grassy and earthy flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
- Yeotgireum-garu: Yeotgireum-garu is a roasted barley flour used commonly in many meals. It has a nutty and toasty flavor and is often used as a thickening agent or coating for fried foods.
Rice
- Dangmyeon: Dangmyeon is a type of Korean noodle that is made from sweet potato starch and is often used in dishes like japchae (stir-fried noodles with vegetables and protein) and mul-naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth).
- Garaetteok: Garaetteok is a type of Korean rice cake made with glutinous rice flour and other ingredients. It is often shaped into long, cylindrical forms and used in meals like tteokguk (Korean rice cake soup) and hwajeon (flower-shaped rice cakes).
- Jjajangmyeonyong guksu: Jjajangmyeonyong guksu is a Korean noodle dish that features thin wheat noodles swimming in a sea of rich, savory black bean sauce. Vegetables and protein, such as meat or tofu, are often added on top as flavorful accents.
- Jjolmyeon: Jjolmyeon is a noodle dish that features thick, chewy wheat noodles bathed in a spicy sauce made with gochujang (red pepper paste) and other ingredients. Vegetables and protein, such as meat or tofu, are often added on top of tasty toppings.
- Mandu-pi: Mandu-pi is a type of dumpling wrapper that is made from wheat flour and water and is used to create various types of dumplings, such as mandu (Korean dumplings) and jjinppang-mandu (steamed bread dumplings).
- Naengmyeon-yong-guksu: Naengmyeon-yong-guksu is another noodle dish that features thin, chewy buckwheat noodles in a refreshing cold broth or sauce. It is often served with a variety of toppings, such as boiled eggs, meat, and vegetables.
- Nokdu-dangmyeon: Nokdu-dangmyeon, a noodle dish features mung bean noodles coated in a spicy sauce made with gochujang (red pepper paste) and other ingredients. Vegetables and protein, such as meat or tofu, are often added on top as flavorful accents.
- Patbingsu-tteok: Patbingsu-tteok is a Korean dessert made with shaved ice, sweetened red beans, and an assortment of toppings, such as fruit, ice cream, and rice cake.
- Rice paper: This thin, transparent paper made from rice flour and water is used to create various Korean rice paper dishes, such as gim-mandu (seaweed and rice paper dumplings) and dasik (Korean rice cakes).
- Somyeon: Somyeon is a thin, white wheat noodle used in various Korean cooking, such as mul-naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth) and sujebi (hand-torn noodle soup).
- Tteokgukyong-tteok: Tteokgukyong-tteok is a rice cake made with glutinous rice flour and other ingredients and is often shaped into various forms and used in dishes like tteokguk (Korean rice cake soup) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).