Explore Ingredients
Ingredient list
Korean Green Onion
Korean green onions, known as daepa (대파), are one of the most fundamental ingredients in Korean cuisine. Characterized by their thick white stalks and deep, aromatic flavor, they are used as a base in countless dishes—soups, stews, marinades, and stir-fries. Unlike thin scallions, daepa adds a bold aroma and natural sweetness when grilled or simmered. It plays a starring role in dishes like pajeon (green onion pancake), samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), and pa-kimchi (green onion kimchi). Rich in vitamin C, calcium, and allicin, Korean green onions are valued for boosting immunity, aiding digestion, and preventing colds. Both flavorful and nourishing, daepa represents the true essence of Korean home cooking.
Korean Cinnamon
Korean cinnamon, known as gyepi (계피), is a fragrant spice made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum cassia tree. With its warm and slightly spicy-sweet aroma, it plays a key role in Korean traditional cuisine and herbal medicine. It is commonly used in sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch), yakgwa (honey cookies), tteok (rice cakes), and hotteok (sweet pancakes). Rich in antioxidants, Korean cinnamon supports circulation, digestion, and immunity, while adding a comforting aroma and flavor to countless Korean dishes.
Korean Sugar
Sugar, known as seoltang (설탕) in Korean, is a fundamental sweetener in both traditional and modern Korean cuisine. It balances spicy, salty, and savory flavors, enhancing the depth and harmony of dishes. In recipes such as bulgogi, japchae, and jangjorim, sugar provides mild sweetness and a glossy texture. It also appears in sauces like ssamjang and gochujang-based marinades, and in desserts including hangwa and tteok. While modern health trends encourage moderation, sugar remains an essential ingredient symbolizing balance and warmth in homemade Korean meals.
Korean Perilla Leaves
Perilla leaves, known as Kkaennip (깻잎) in Korean, are a unique herb widely used in Korean cuisine. With their distinct aroma and slightly minty, anise-like flavor, they are often enjoyed fresh as wraps for grilled meats, pickled as jangajji, or added to stews and stir-fries for fragrance. Nutritionally, perilla leaves are rich in calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and omega-3 fatty acids, supporting heart health and immunity. Their versatility makes them a staple in both everyday Korean meals and traditional dishes, reflecting the balance of flavor and health in Korean food culture.
Korean Abalone
Korean Abalone, often called the “Emperor of the Sea,” is a prized seafood delicacy in Korea. Harvested mainly along the coasts of Wando and Jeju, abalone is known for its tender texture and rich, oceanic flavor. It is featured in luxurious dishes such as abalone porridge (jeonbokjuk), abalone butter-grill, and abalone samgyetang, and is also enjoyed fresh as sashimi. Beyond its taste, abalone is highly valued for its nutritional profile, being rich in protein, iron, zinc, and essential minerals that boost stamina and support overall health. In Korean tradition, abalone is often considered a restorative food, symbolizing vitality and prosperity.
Ssamjang
Ssamjang is a traditional Korean dipping sauce made by blending doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and gochujang (red chili paste) with garlic, sesame oil, green onions, and sometimes nuts or sugar. Its savory, slightly spicy, and nutty flavor makes it an essential condiment in Korean dining culture. Most commonly enjoyed with Korean BBQ, especially grilled samgyeopsal (pork belly), ssamjang is paired with fresh vegetables and lettuce wraps. It is also used as a dipping sauce for raw vegetables like cucumbers, peppers, and carrots. Rich in protein, probiotics, and antioxidants from its fermented base, ssamjang is both flavorful and health-oriented, embodying the balance of taste and nutrition in Korean cuisine.
Korean flour
Flour, known as milgaru in Korean, is a finely milled powder made from wheat and has become an essential ingredient in modern Korean cuisine. Although rice remains the staple grain, flour is widely used to make popular dishes such as hotteok (sweet pancakes), pajeon (savory pancakes), mandu (dumplings), and kalguksu (noodle soup). Nutritionally, flour provides carbohydrates for energy, moderate amounts of protein, and B vitamins. Its versatility makes it a common and indispensable ingredient in both traditional and fusion cooking.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds, known as kkae (깨) in Korean, are one of the most essential ingredients in Korean cuisine. They are cultivated in sunny fields and harvested in autumn, later used whole or pressed into sesame oil. Their nutty flavor and aroma enhance dishes like bibimbap, namul, bulgogi, japchae, and perilla leaf salad. Rich in protein, calcium, iron, and antioxidants, sesame seeds are celebrated not only for their taste but also for their health benefits. As a garnish, seasoning, or base for sesame oil, these tiny seeds remain a cornerstone of Korean cooking.
Meju
Meju (메주) is a traditional Korean fermented soybean block that serves as the foundation for Korea’s essential condiments: doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce), and gochujang (red chili paste). Made by boiling soybeans, crushing them, shaping into blocks, and fermenting them in straw and clay jars, meju is a symbol of Korea’s fermentation culture. Beyond its culinary role, meju is valued for its probiotics, protein, and isoflavones, supporting gut health and overall wellness. As the root of Korean “jang” culture, meju represents the harmony of tradition, science, and nutrition in Korean cuisine.
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.
