MUST-HAVE Korean Ingredients
essential korean ingredients
Get the smallest sizes available to see if Korean cooking at home is for you.
The most important Korean ingredients you must have for Korean cooking at home are GANJANG (Soy Sauce) and GOCHUGARU (Korean red pepper powder). Soy sauce imparts that Asian umami that we all enjoy. You would be surprised how versatile this ingredient can be. Also, GOCHUGARU has that signature flavour that Korean food is known for.
PANTRY STAPLES:
GOCHUGARU (Korean Red Pepper Powder): Korean green chiles ripen into a vibrant red pepper. These are dried completely and ground into various types of coarseness. Large flakes are meant for kimchi-making while the finely ground powder is better suited to add to dishes where you don’t like to see large flakes everywhere.
Read more about this staple: Korean Ingredient Gochugaru
Finely ground powder is also used to make summer kimchi where you want the flavour but also don’t want large flakes to detract from a clean presentation. You can see it’s mostly about presentation and convenience. You don’t need to buy different kinds of coarseness, you can just buy the flakes and grind them as needed if you’re so inclined.
This is great to have because in addition to kimchi-making, you can use this in recipes for soups, stews, marinades and even seasonings for BIBIMBAP. GOCHUJANG is better for its uniform consistency, but its base is this red pepper powder. GOCHUGARU (red pepper powder) is an easy replacement for GOCHUJANG (red pepper paste) in a pinch.
As a final note, there is a movement in Korea to buy locally grown peppers that are processed within the country as well. I will say that these do taste better, but it is rather tragic how expensive it is. If you’re just starting out and trying to save money, I would just get a highly-rated or popular brand that is on sale. If you end up loving it, you can splurge on some of the good stuff later on.
GOCHUGARU is usually packaged in 3 sizes. Kimchi-making will take at least 1C, so unless it’s a one-off event, get the best value (usually the larger sizes) as you can store them in freezer bags and they keep for a long time this way. Just transfer a smaller amount to a jar to keep with your other spices for daily use.
GANJANG (Korean Soup Soy Sauce): This is also used in almost all Korean recipes. The by-product of making DOENJANG (fermented bean paste), it is simply fermented bean juice. Because the beans are salted heavily to prevent spoiling, you will find its salt content to be very high. Knowing this, consume in moderation.
Most soy sauces are in the Japanese style: YANGJO GANJANG which have added wheat (to expedite the fermentation process) and sweeteners so they’re good for eating right out of the bottle. Those made in the traditional Korean style GUK GANJANG or JOSEON GANJANG are much saltier because they only contain MEJU (fermented beans), salt and water.
Most recipes use this pre-seasoned soy sauce made in the Japanese style. But if you want to avoid over-processed products, try the Korean soy sauce and you have complete control over the amount of sweetener you feel it needs. Just remember to use less than the recipe dictates because this “soup” soy sauce (that is all-purpose, really) is saltier by comparison.
Also, keep in mind that the major companies represented outside Korea are SEMPIO and CHUNG JUNG ONE. SEMPIO’s GUK GANJANG (Soup soy sauce) and JIN GANJANG (Jin soy sauce) lineup are nearly all chemical, synthetic garbage. Please avoid them at all costs. Purchase YANGJO soy sauce 701 (or 501 – these numbers denote the percentage of soy protein in them, the higher the number is the better quality) from SEMPIO instead. SEMPIO’s traditional Korean soy sauce is called JOSEON GANJANG.
CHUNG JUNG ONE commits to avoiding chemical soy sauces completely. You are safe to buy any soy sauce you like without worries you are ingesting a mystery chemical concoction that only looks like soy sauce. All their soy sauces (JIN and YANGJO) will be the type you can use straight out of the bottle. Their GUK GANJANG is their traditional Korean soup soy sauce. They do however, use additives for flavour-enhancing or preservative purposes, so it’s best to go by the label before buying.
If you are planning on cooking more than a few Korean dishes in a year, I would suggest you get the larger size as you will get through it. That’s how often recipes call for it.
An easy substitution to Korean soy sauce is Japanese soy sauce. Kikkoman is usually easily available from many sellers. In other words, you can make use of one soy sauce for both Korean and Japanese recipes. There are soy sauces used in many Asian countries and if you’re not picky about authenticity, you can definitely get away with using Korean soy sauce for them. The difference is mostly in how sweet it needs to be and the consistency. You can add your own sweeteners and thickening agents to the dish which I think is a better alternative than storing 5 bottles of soy sauce in the cupboard.
A truly traditional Korean (soup) soy sauce will be gluten-free as it should only contain MEJU, salt and water. MEJU is fermented beans using only salt- artisan soy sauces made this way rely on time alone and doesn’t make use of any koji starter or wheat to expedite this process. Just add your preferred sweetener and water (or broth) to make it taste good for dipping. Otherwise, you will be pleasantly surprised how much less you need when cooking.
Soy sauce is used to add an umami flavour that comes from beans. Yes, it is salty, but it’s not a replacement for salt. When you’ve added soy sauce to a dish and it’s not salty enough, do the final seasoning with salt. Adding a lot more soy sauce will just be a waste of this ingredient.
Store in a cool, dark place. Just don’t contaminate the spout by handling it with wet or dirty hands and don’t pour any unused liquid back in (!) and it keeps just fine.
If you’re a complete beginner starting your Korean cooking journey at home, but also kind of broke, these are the 2 pantry staples to pick up. GOCHUGARU (Korean Red Pepper Powder) and GANJANG (Soy Sauce). You can pick up the rest as time goes by after you try it first and see if Korean home cooking is for you!
If you’ve bought them, used them, loved them and are ready for more, head back to the Korean grocery.
More staple Korean ingredients:
CHAMGIRUM (Toasted Sesame Oil): This is used as a finishing oil in so many dishes, I feel I can safely say “most” dishes here. However, there are people who don’t like the pungency of toasted sesame oil. You can sub in your favourite oil instead but I would just omit it completely because it’s mostly added for the flavour and shine, and is not really required for its oiliness.
2. GOCHUJANG (Korean Red Pepper Paste): You probably wonder why this wouldn’t be the #1 ingredient to have. This really depends on your preference and what you like to cook. It may be surprising to hear, but GOCHUJANG (paste) is really not an often used ingredient in our house and that’s because many recipes can be made with GOCHUGARU (powder) instead- which we prefer.
If you eat a lot of BIBIMBAP (mixed up Korean rice) and use this as sauce, maybe you can use up a whole tub this way alone. Of course, there are ways to use GOCHUJANG more in cooking, but this is a prepared paste based on the red pepper powder which can be redundant if you crave minimalism in your pantry.
Once opened, it will discolour and develop a hard crust. This is just what happens when it’s exposed to air. You can incorporate it back by mixing it into the smooth paste underneath or you can scrape off the top. It can be stored in a cool, dark place but factory-made products are now being recommended to be kept in the fridge at all times .
3. DOENJANG (Fermented Bean Paste): People who don’t eat a lot of DOENJANG JJIGAE (fermented bean paste soup/stew) probably end up tossing the tub by the time the expiry date rolls around. Like GOCHUJANG, this can be used in other recipes, but you have to make a conscious decision to add more of it in your life.
I’ve heard of people adding a bit to scrambled eggs to add umami, which sounds great, but it’s pretty much for DOENJANG soup or other hearty Korean soups like that.
It’s definitely got a hardcore funky smell and taste that you either love or hate. If you’re looking to use it solely for making that addictive bean stew, try a small tub first as you will only need a spoonful or two for a single serving.
This may develop mold even if kept in the fridge. Scrape it off and eat the fresh paste underneath. This usually occurs only at the crust. It may also discolour and develop a hard crust. It is a natural reaction to air once opened and is completely normal and safe to eat. DOENJANG is usually kept in a cool, dark place but commercially made products now recommend it be kept in the fridge for optimal freshness.
4. FISH SAUCE: KKANARI-EKJUT (sandlance fish sauce) or MYULCHI-EKJUT (anchovy fish sauce) This is pretty key in kimchi-making. Although I have heard those strongly averse to fish sauce to make it without. We use this when making some BANCHAN (side dishes) and to add to meat dishes (it helps balance out flavours). If you’re nervous about the smell, know it that blends into the dish and you won’t be eating fish aroma food.
Read up on the story of the origins of Worcestershire sauce. Long story short, some chemists in England tried to recreate fish sauce encountered in India. What they created was so pungent they considered it a failure and left it in the basement. A few years later when making space in said basement, they discovered the sauce had mellowed from fermentation and Lea & Perrins was born. It is flavoured to make it easier to eat straight out of the bottle, so think of Asian fish sauce as the no-frills added cooking version.
We use Thai fish sauce because The Wife thinks the Korean stuff is just too foul-smelling (debatable). A splash in most Korean soups or stews will add that umami je-ne-sais-quoi that elevates everything.
5. SAE-WOO-JUT (Fermented Salted Shrimp): This can be used instead of fish sauce when making kimchi, but is especially delicious when added to Korean steamed eggs instead of salt. Think of this one as an extra-tasty, seafood-y salt. Add it wherever you would like some saltiness but also some shrimp flavour. Soups and stews and to season BANCHAN (side dishes). Honestly, you can do without. But we use it quite a bit just for steamed eggs alone.
Keep in the freezer to last a long time. It never freezes and is easy to scoop how much you need with a spoon.
other Korean ingredients you may like:
COOKING WINE: CHEONG-JU is Korean rice wine. This is used similarly to Mirin, which is Japanese rice wine with sugar added. These add another layer of flavour with a hint of tang. You can get by with any cooking wine (add some sugar if you like) though. Alcohol helps tenderize meat but also gets rid of that “raw meat” smell that bothers many people. The alcohol does burn off, so no worries of getting boozy from your food. Commonly referred to as MIRIM, a marketing name that has become synonymous with cooking wine in Korea.
TOASTED SESAME SEEDS: This is a ubiquitous garnish in Korean dishes. It’s just an extra touch that adds some nutty crunch. Mostly for presentation. Meh, we don’t use it much.
SUGAR SYRUPS: There are many options for liquid sugars at the Korean market. The use of syrup is preferred because it blends quickly and can also add a pleasing sheen to the finished dish. OLIGODANG (meaning Oligo-sweetener because it’s made with Oligosaccharides) is the syrup of choice. Oligosaccharides have fewer calories but provide the same sweet taste as sugar. It’s said that it contains beneficial bacteria that aids in digestion. However, these are destroyed in high heat so it’s best to add it last or to use it in dishes prepared cold (cold noodles, side dishes). You can find it made with corn, plum, apple and more!
There is also plum syrup or rice syrup- these are usually made with an equal ratio of sugar to the other. They are preferred because you get some health benefits from the base ingredient (plums or rice in this example).
Personally, I feel if you are trying to eat less sugar, just eat less sugar. There’s no healthy sugar, so I just stick to regular ol’ sugar. Or honey/maple syrup if The Wife insists.
Historically, Koreans grated pears (the Asian kind) to recipes when it called for a sweetening ingredient. If you prefer natural fruit sugars, you can do this instead with any sweet fruit like apples, pineapples or ripe kiwis (especially golden kiwi- wow those are sweet!).
But honestly, sugar is sugar.
PERILLA OIL: This is the oil from the perilla plant. You know Koreans eat perilla leaves for Korean BBQ, so the oil is loved as well. It is pressed raw (not toasted like sesame seed oil) and is subtler in flavour. Many Koreans do use this because they grew up with the taste, but for a beginner Korean cook, I doubt you will miss out if you give this one a pass.
Shopping List:
GOCHUGARU https://amzn.to/3qswWBY
GANJANG https://amzn.to/2M9UzR2
CHAMGIRUM https://amzn.to/3it7TvR
GOCHUJANG https://amzn.to/2Y07mYG
DOENJANG https://amzn.to/3iwwrUt
FISH SAUCE https://amzn.to/3fZX0lX
SAEWOO JUT refrigerated product.
Cooking Wine https://amzn.to/3uNNVRt
Toasted Sesame Seeds https://amzn.to/3g348xT
Sugar Syrup https://amzn.to/3wNceR3
Perilla Oil https://amzn.to/3wQU3dc
