Essential Korean Ingredients: A Starter's Guide
If you want to cook Korean food – including making your own kimchi – you'll need a few key ingredients that might not be in your regular shopping list. Here's what to look for.
The Fermentation Essentials
Gochugaru (고추가루): Korean red chilli flakes. Not negotiable for traditional kimchi. Coarse flakes for kimchi, fine powder for sauces.
Sea salt (for kimchi): Coarse sea salt or Korean solar salt (천일염) for salting cabbage. Regular table salt works but isn't traditional.
Fish sauce (액젓): Korean fish sauce is often made from anchovies (myulchi aekjeot). Adds crucial umami.
Saeujeot (새우젓): Fermented shrimp paste. Another traditional umami source for kimchi. Not essential but authentic.
The Flavour Bases
Gochujang (고추장): Fermented chilli paste. Sweet, savoury, spicy – utterly essential for Korean cooking beyond kimchi.
Doenjang (된장): Fermented soybean paste. Similar to miso but distinctive. Makes incredible stews.
Ssamjang (쌈장): A blend of gochujang and doenjang, perfect for wraps and dipping.
Soy sauce (간장): Korean soy sauce (ganjang) is lighter and less sweet than Japanese varieties.
Pantry Staples
Sesame oil (참기름): Toasted sesame oil is used to finish many dishes. The aroma is distinctive and irreplaceable.
Rice vinegar: For quick pickles and dipping sauces.
Mirin or rice wine: Sweetness and depth in cooking.
Dried anchovies (마른 멸치): For stock and side dishes.
Dried kelp (다시마): Essential for vegetarian stock.
Fresh Ingredients
Garlic: Koreans use a lot of garlic. More than you think. Then more again.
Ginger: Fresh ginger appears in most Korean recipes.
Spring onions: Used generously in almost everything.
Korean radish (무): Larger and denser than daikon. Used in many dishes.
Napa cabbage (배추): The kimchi cabbage. Available in Asian supermarkets and increasingly in regular shops.
Rice and Noodles
Short-grain rice: Korean rice is short-grain and slightly sticky. Different from long-grain.
Sweet potato noodles (당면): Glass noodles for japchae and stews.
Various noodles: Fresh and dried options for different dishes.
Where to Shop
Korean supermarkets: Best selection and typically best prices.
Asian supermarkets: Often have Korean sections.
Online retailers: Nationwide delivery.
Major supermarkets: Increasingly stocking basics.
Building Your Pantry
Start with:
- Gochugaru (if making kimchi)
- Gochujang (most versatile)
- Sesame oil
- Good soy sauce
- Short-grain rice
Add next:
- Doenjang
- Fish sauce
- Dried anchovies/kelp
- Ssamjang
Eventually:
- Full kimchi-making supplies
- Various noodles
- Speciality items
Storage Tips
Most fermented pastes keep for months refrigerated after opening. Gochugaru is best frozen for long-term storage. Dried goods keep in a cool, dark place.
Building a Korean pantry is an investment that pays off in countless meals. Start with basics, expand as you explore, and before long you'll have everything you need for authentic Korean cooking.
