Ingredient guide
Korean Ingredients, Explained
What it is, how it tastes, what to look for at the store — and what to use if you can't find it.
Green onion
대파
Fresh and mildly sweet with a gentle onion bite that mellows when cooked.
Gochujang
고추장
Spicy-sweet and savory with a fermented depth; the heat varies by brand.
Baechu Kimchi
배추김치
Sour, salty, spicy and savory. It gets tangier the longer it ferments.
Gosari
고사리
Earthy and subtle, with a chewy texture.
Gochugaru
고춧가루
Fruity and slightly smoky with medium heat.
Toasted sesame oil
참기름
Deeply nutty and toasty.
Anchovy stock
멸치육수
Light and savory with a clean, oceanic umami.
Canned ham
통조림햄
Salty, savory and a little sweet.
Short-grain rice
쌀밥
Mild and faintly sweet, with a soft, sticky texture.
Gim / roasted seaweed
김
Toasty and briny, lightly salty if seasoned.
Danmuji
단무지
Sweet-sour and crisp.
Fish cake
어묵
Mild, savory and slightly sweet, with a springy texture.
Sundubu / soft tofu
순두부
Very mild and creamy — it takes on the flavor of the broth.
Soybean sprouts
콩나물
Nutty, crunchy and juicy, sweet once cooked.
Soy sauce
간장
Salty and deeply savory with a little sweetness. The soup type is saltier and lighter in color.
Doenjang
된장
Salty, deeply savory and earthy, with a fermented funk that is stronger than Japanese miso.
Tteok / rice cakes
떡
Mild and slightly sweet, with a dense, springy and satisfying chew.
Perilla leaves
깻잎
Fresh and herbal, with notes of mint, anise and a faint citrus bite.
Korean radish
무
Crisp, peppery and slightly sweet when raw; mellow, sweet and tender once cooked.
Ssamjang
쌈장
Savory, mildly spicy and a little sweet, with garlic and sesame notes.
Soup soy sauce
국간장
Sharply salty and savory, thinner and less sweet than regular soy sauce.
Rice syrup
올리고당
Mildly sweet and neutral, with a thick, glossy body.
Dasima / kelp
다시마
Mildly salty and savory, with deep umami and a clean sea note.
Korean pear
배
Crisp, juicy and mildly sweet, with a clean, slightly floral taste and a grainy bite.
Garlic chives
부추
Fresh, grassy and gently garlicky, milder than garlic and sharper than regular chives.
Dangmyeon / glass noodles
당면
Neutral with a springy, slightly slippery chew; they soak up whatever sauce they sit in.
Cheongyang chili
청양고추
Sharply hot with a fresh, grassy bite; hotter than a jalapeño.
Miyeok / dried seaweed
미역
Mild sea flavor with a silky, slightly slippery texture once soaked.
Saeujeot / salted shrimp
새우젓
Salty and briny with a sweet, savory shrimp depth.
Myeolchi-aekjeot / anchovy sauce
멸치액젓
Deeply salty and savory with a strong fermented seafood aroma that mellows as it cooks.
Kkanari-aekjeot / sand lance sauce
까나리액젓
Salty and savory with a clean, slightly sweet finish and less funk than anchovy sauce.
Myeongran-jeot / salted pollock roe
명란젓
Salty, savory and rich, with tiny popping eggs.
Changran-jeot / salted pollock innards
창란젓
Very salty, spicy and rich, with a soft, chunky texture.
Ojingeo-jeot / salted squid
오징어젓
Salty, spicy and savory with a chewy squid bite.
Eorigul-jeot / salted oysters
어리굴젓
Salty, spicy and briny with a soft, creamy oyster bite.