10 Essential Ingredients For Korean Cooking! (2024)

EssentialIngredients For Korean Cooking

Today I would like tointroduce 10 essential Korean cooking ingredients. For those interested inKorean cuisine, I will tell you in detail what ingredients to buy and how touse them. Please refer to the link for the ingredients that you are interestedin.

Soy sauce (ganjang),gochujang (red pepper paste), and doenjang (soybean paste) are the most basicingredients in Korean cuisine and are also the main fermented foods that arefrequently used. In the past, ganjang,gochujang, anddoenjangwere made athome. These days, there are many people who go to the mart and buy commercial productsrather than making them at home.

Ganjang (left), Gochujang( middle), Doenjang(right)

1. Ganjang (Soy sauce)

Types of soy sauceinclude gukganjang (soup soy sauce), jinganjang, yangjo ganjang (brewed soysauce), etc.

Guk Ganjang (left), Jin Ganjang (middle), Yangjo Ganjang (right)

Gukganjang (left ) is a soysauce made by soaking fermented soybeans in salt water. It is used when makingsoups such as seaweed soup, yukgaejang, beef radish soup or namul (seasonedvegetables). The brand I usually use is Sempio Joseon soy sauce (샘표조선간장).

Jin ganjang (middle) is acommonly used soy sauce and can be used in most dishes. Jin ganjang has astrong taste and is low in salt, so it is mainly used for foods that need to beheated. It is used for braised, stir-fried, steamed, and bulgogi dishes.

Yangjo ganjang (right) losesits rich aroma and taste when heated and boiled, so it is better to use it as asauce rather than using it when cooking with heat. For example, when makingsauce for dipping pancakes or other foods, or it is even good to just mix it inrice to eat.

If you have to buyeither yangjo ganjang or jinganjang, I recommend jin ganjang, which is usedwell in most dishes. Compared to the color of gukganjang and jinganjang,gukganjang is lighter in color, has a higher salt content, and has a savorytaste.

If it is difficult tofind jinganjang, you can use Kikkoman soy sauce as a substitute.

2. Gochujang (Redpepper paste)

Chungjungwon Gochujang

Gochujang is atraditional Korean fermented food made by mixing glutinous rice flour, mejupowder (fermented soy bean powder), salt, and water with fine red pepper powderas the main ingredient. Gochujang is used in a variety of dishes, such astteokbokki, bibimbap sauce, bibim noodles, dakkalbi, etc.

If you go to a Koreanmart, there are various brands of gochujang, and not all gochujang is spicy,but they are classified into spicy and less spicy. I usually buy less spicygochujang. Personally, I often use Chungjungone brand gochujang.

3. Doenjang (Soybeanpaste)

Haechandel (left top), Chungjungwon (left down), Nonghyup (right)

Doenjang is one ofKorea's representative pastes which is made with meju (dried fermented soybean)and salt brine.

Meju (Dried fermented soybean)

Doenjang is alsodivided into traditional and commercial doenjang. Traditional doenjang is madein a jar or pot by pouring plenty of salt water, and scooping out soy sauce.

Today, doenjang ismade in factories by mixing boiled soybeans with wheat and fermenting them withKoji bacteria. As a result, it has a shorter aging period and is much sweeterthan traditional soybean paste.

In general, doenjangis often used to make stews, soups, seasonings, and ssamjang. After opening thesoybean paste, you can use it while refrigerating it. I usually use Chungjungone, Haechandeulor Nonghyup brand.

This is calledssamjang. It is made by mixing soybean paste and red pepper paste and addingvarious seasonings. It is a sauce eaten with meat or vegetables.

Haechandle Ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste)

4. Gochugaru (Redpepper flakes)

Jongga gochugaru (left), Chinjung umma gochugaru (middle), Chungjungwon Bidan gochugaru (right)

Gochugaru is Koreanred pepper flakes. There are two types of gochugaru in Korea. Fine gochugaruand coarse gochugaru. Fine gochugaru is ground very finely and completelypowdered. Fine gochugaru is used to make gochujang (red pepper paste) or saltedseafood.

In general, coarsegochugaru is often used for general cooking or for making kimchi.

Gochugaru also comesin spicy and less spicy flavors, so I think it would be nice to buy itaccording to your preference for spiciness. I usually like to use less spicygochugaru. Gochugaru is often used when making kimchi, and it is also afrequently used ingredient in various Korean dishes such as oi muchim (cucumbersalad), musaengchae (spicy radish salad), sausage stew, soup, etc . I recommendusing gochugaru that is a product of Korea. Jongga gochugaru (left) which is available at the local Korean markets. Chungjungwon bidan gchugru (right) which is available at Amazon. I bought it becausethe reviews were good. The price is cheaper than jongga gochugaru becausealthough it is made from a Korean company, it is not a product of Korea. Productsof Korean gochugaru is pricy but it tastes better.

When using, it isrecommended to store the appropriate amount in a container and store theremaining red pepper powder in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

5. Akejeot (Fishsauce)

Myulchi Akejoet (left) and Kknari Aekjeot (right)

In order to make fishsauce, small fish are fermented with salt. In Korea, Kkanari aekjeot (sandlance fish sauce, right) and myulchi akejoet (anchovy fish sauce, left) are the two mostwidely used fish sauces. In Korean cuisine, it is mainly used to make kimchiand is sometimes used instead of soy sauce.

Kkanari aekjeot (right) is afermented and matured fish sauce. It is sweeter than anchovy fish sauce andless fishy, so it is good for those who don’t prefer the smell and taste of fishsauce.

I also often use this fish sauce with three crabs on the packaging. Itmakes kimchi or food taste better without any special ingredients.

Fish sauce from tunaenhances the flavor of food and enhances the savory taste. This tuna fish sauce (한라 참치액) is a brand I often use.

Halla Tuna Fish Sauce

6. Saeujeot (Saltedshrimp)

Dongbaekha Saeujeot (left) and 1385 Saeujeto (right)

Saeujeot is afermented food made by salting shrimp. Saeujeot is often used along with fishsauce to marinate various Korean dishes, especially kimchi. Salted shrimp has alight taste because it is low in fat, so it is often used in dishes such asstir-fried zucchini or steamed egg, and goes well with pork dishes, such asbossam or pork belly. There are many types of salted shrimp, but the saltedshrimp that I mainly purchased and use in the United States is Dongbaekhabrand (left). Recently, I tried a new salted shrimp (right), and I think this salted shrimp isalso good.

7. Kkaesogeum (Sesameseeds)

Samhak Roasted Wesame Weeds (left) and Samhak Unroasted Sesame Seeds (right)

Roasted sesame seedsadd savory flavor to many Korean dishes. In particular, it is often sprinkledas a garnish at the end. You can buy pre-roasted sesame seeds (left) at Korean grocerystores or you can buy unroasted sesame seeds (right) and stir-fry them at home. Ipersonally buy unroasted sesame seeds, wash them at home, drain and fry them ina pan. Then, I think sesame seeds becomes even more savory and delicious.Roasted sesame seeds can be stored in a container and used when making food.

8. Chamgireum (Sesameoil)

Ottogi Sesame Oil (left) and Kadoya Sesame Oil (right)

Sesame oil is made byroasting and then pressing sesame seeds. Because sesame seeds have a unique andsavory scent, adding a little bit to food enhances the flavor to be moresavory. In Korea, it is mainly used in various foods such as soup, stew,seasoned vegetables, and bibimbap. When my daughter was little, she loved tomix rice with soy sauce and sesame oil in a fried egg. After use, close the captightly and store it. It is recommended to consume within 1 year. I usually useOttogi sesame oil (left). You can also use Japanese Kadoya sesame oil (right) as a substitute.

9. Matsool (Cookingwine)

Matsool (cooking wine) is atype of alcohol that removes odors specific scents and tenderizes meat whencooking food. It is usually used in meat or fish dishes. In Korea,cheongju-type alcoholic beverages (rice wine) are mainly used.

Cheongju (Korean rice wine, Baekha Soobok)

Mirim, a cookingwine, is also mainly used in cooking instead of rice wine. Lotte Mirim (right)and Ottogi Mihyang (left) types of cooking wine.

Ottogi Mihyang(left) and Lotte Mirim (right)

However, if you find itdifficult to purchase Korean rice wine, you can also use Japanese sake as asubstitute.

10. Syrup

Sugar, starch syrup,oligosaccharide, grain syrup, and honey are often used to give sweetness toKorean cuisine. When you go to the mart, there are so many kinds, there will betimes when you worry about which one to buy.

Beksul Oligosaccharide (left), Beksul Corn Syrup (middle), Ottogi Rice Syrup (right)

Oligosaccharides andcorn syrup are often used in Korean cooking. One thing to note when usingoligosaccharides is that the sweetness decreases when heated for a long time.If you add oligosaccharide near the end of cooking, it will preserve thesweetness and make it shiny.

Grain syrup (jocheong, right)is made by soaking grains in malt and boiling them down. It is a sweetener thathas been used since ancient times. Since jocheong does not go through aseparate refining process, it contains various impurities such as fiber inaddition to sugars. The price is more expensive than starch syrup.

Honey can also beused instead of starch syrup, oligosaccharide, grain syrup. Honey is nature'ssweetener. I often use it when making sweetness for health. Of the varioussyrups, oligosaccharides and honey are often used.

Today, Iexplained 10 essential ingredients, but there are also everyday ingredientsthat you don’t necessarily need to get from a Korean market such as vinegar,sugar, and cooking oil. I hope you like today's blog.

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