Explore Ingredients
Ingredient list
Saeu-jeot (Salted Fermented Shrimp)
Saeu-jeot is a traditional Korean salted and fermented shrimp condiment used to season kimchi, soups, and braised dishes. Known for its deep umami and long fermentation history, it forms a core part of Korean coastal preservation culture and is one of the most essential flavor bases in Korean cuisine.
Altari-mu (Young Radish)
Altari-mu, or young radish, is a small Korean radish known for its crunchy texture, natural sweetness, and firm structure that holds up well during fermentation. It is the key ingredient for Chonggak-kimchi (young radish kimchi), one of Korea’s most traditional and beloved kimchi varieties. Harvested mainly in late fall, altari-mu provides high fiber, refreshing flavor, and versatility—used not only in kimchi but also in salads, toppings for cold noodles, and various side dishes.
Aged Kimchi (Mukeunji)
Aged kimchi, known as mukeunji, is a deeply fermented form of kimchi with a soft texture, sharp acidity, and rich umami. Its intensified flavor makes it ideal for cooked dishes such as mukeunji-jjigae, braised pork with aged kimchi, and stir-fried rice. Mukeunji is also used in traditional wraps like mukeunji hoe-mari, where sashimi or seasoned fish is rolled in aged kimchi. As it ferments, mukeunji develops high levels of probiotics and organic acids, offering both nutritional benefits and a signature taste that represents the depth of Korean fermentation culture.
Korean Lobster
Korean lobsters, locally known as badatgajae (바닷가재), are premium seafood caught mainly along Korea’s east and southern coasts, including Gangwon and Jeju. Compared to imported lobsters, Korean varieties—such as the true lobster and spiny lobster—are prized for their firm texture, deep flavor, and freshness. Traditionally enjoyed as steamed or grilled dishes, they are now featured in modern Korean cuisine, including lobster ramyeon, butter-grilled lobster, and soy-marinated lobster. Rich in protein, zinc, and vitamin B12, Korean lobsters represent the growing sophistication of Korea’s coastal seafood culture.
Korean Strawberry
Korean strawberries, or ttalgi (딸기), are prized for their vivid color, juicy sweetness, and floral aroma. A signature spring fruit in Korea, they are used not only for fresh eating but also in desserts such as ttalgi-cheong (strawberry syrup), ttalgi chapssaltteok (glutinous rice cake with strawberry and red bean), strawberry bingsu (shaved ice dessert), and strawberry latte. Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, strawberries promote skin health and immunity, symbolizing freshness and the start of spring in Korean cuisine.
Korean Water Celery
Korean water celery, known as minari (미나리), is a fragrant aquatic herb loved for its refreshing aroma and crisp texture. Commonly enjoyed in dishes like samgyeopsal with minari, spicy fish stew, and minari pancake, it helps balance oily or spicy flavors with its clean, herbal freshness. Harvested mainly in spring, minari is rich in vitamins A and C, dietary fiber, and antioxidants, supporting detoxification and liver health.
Korean Laver
Korean laver, or gim (김), is a thin, crisp seaweed harvested from Korea’s coastal waters. Known for its rich umami flavor and light crunch, gim is a staple in Korean cuisine. It is used in dishes such as gimbap, gim-gui (roasted laver), gim-bugak (crispy fried laver), gim-mari (seaweed rolls), Chungmu gimbap, and gim-muchim (seasoned seaweed salad). Packed with minerals, iodine, and vitamins, gim represents the deep connection between Korean food and the sea.
Korean Napa Cabbage
Korean napa cabbage, or baechu (배추), is a staple vegetable in Korean cuisine. It is the main ingredient in kimchi and also used in soups, stews, and side dishes. With its tender leaves and natural sweetness, napa cabbage balances spicy and savory flavors, making it perfect for fermentation. It’s rich in vitamins A and C and plays an essential role in kimjang, the traditional kimchi-making season. Beyond kimchi, napa cabbage is featured in dishes like baechu doenjang-guk (soybean paste soup) and bossam (pork wraps).
Korean Soy Sauce
Korean soy sauce, known as ganjang (간장), is a traditional fermented seasoning made from soybeans, salt, and water. It plays a central role in Korean cuisine, providing deep umami flavor and balance to soups, stews, stir-fries, and marinades. There are several types: guk ganjang for soups, jin ganjang for general dishes, and yangjo ganjang made through modern fermentation. Rich in amino acids and probiotics, Korean soy sauce represents both the flavor and the tradition of Korean home cooking.
Korean Black Garlic: Taste, Uses, and How It’s Aged
Black garlic — heukmaneul (흑마늘) — is ordinary garlic held for weeks in controlled heat and humidity until the cloves turn jet black, soft, and molasses-sweet. It is not a variety but a change of state, and the allicin that makes raw garlic sharp falls away with it.
Yeolmu Kimchi: Korea’s Refreshing Summer Kimchi
When summer arrives in Korea, one kimchi quietly takes over the table. Yeolmu kimchi (열무김치) — young summer radish kimchi — is the crisp, cooling counterpart to heavier winter kimchi, and for many families the taste that signals summer has arrived.
Yuzu vs Lemon: What Makes Korean Yuja Different
Yuja (유자), sold in English as yuzu, is a knobby yellow citrus grown along Korea’s southern coast. It is mostly rind and seed, so Korean cooks work the peel rather than squeezing it — and that is where it parts ways with a lemon.
Melon: 5 Amazing Health Benefits of Korea’s Best Fruit
Melon bingsu has become one of the most photographed desserts in Korean cafe culture, and understanding melon itself is the key to appreciating why. This guide covers what melon is, how it’s used in Korean kitchens and cafes, and how to store, buy, and substitute it at home.
Maesil (매실): Korea’s Green Plum
Ask a Korean home cook which ingredient does the most invisible work in their kitchen, and there is a fair chance the answer is maesil — a fruit that almost never reaches the table, yet hides in the kimchi, the pork marinade, and the glass of water poured after a heavy meal.
Korean Fish Sauce & Salted Shrimp: Umami Boosters
Behind almost every memorable Korean dish sits an ingredient most diners never see on the plate. Korean umami boosters — the family of fermented seafood seasonings known as aekjeot (fish sauces) and jeotgal (salted seafood) — are what give kimchi its funky depth, soups their savory pull, and side dishes their moreish "one more bite" quality. This guide breaks down the four you’ll actually reach for, how they differ, and how to use, store, and substitute them.
Barley (bori)
Barley is a healthy whole grain staple that has nourished the Korean peninsula for thousands of years, long before it became a modern symbol of wholesome eating. This guide covers what barley is, how it tastes, how Koreans cook it, and how to store it.
Korean Pine Nuts
Few ingredients capture the quiet elegance of Korean cuisine quite like pine nuts. Known in Korean as jat (잣), these small ivory seeds appear at the table’s most meaningful moments — floating atop a New Year’s bowl of tteokguk, scattered over a chilled cinnamon punch, or simmered into a silky porridge for someone recovering their strength.
Arugula (Rucola)
Arugula has quietly become one of the most fashionable greens in modern Korean kitchens. Though it isn’t a traditional Korean ingredient, this peppery Mediterranean leaf — known in Korea as 루꼴라 (rukkola, also written 루콜라) — now appears on brunch menus, fusion pizzas, and gourmet home plates across Seoul. Its bold flavor and "sophisticated" reputation have made it the go-to green for cooks who want to elevate a simple meal.
