Start with the basics
Gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice and kimchi are enough for many simple Korean meals.
Ingredient guide
Korean ingredients: what to buy and how to use them
Find practical guides to Korean pantry basics, with shopping tips, substitutions and recipe ideas for everyday Korean cooking.
Shop realistically
Many ingredients are easiest at Asian supermarkets or online, while vegetables, rice and pantry basics are often available at regular supermarkets.
Substitute carefully
Not every ingredient can be replaced perfectly. These guides explain what works, what tastes different and when the original is worth buying.
For beginners
The most useful Korean ingredients
These are the ingredients that help most when you want to cook Korean food regularly.
Doenjang
Korean soybean paste, 된장
Doenjang, like gochujang and soy sauce, is one of the essential ingredients in Korean cooking. In rural areas, people of...
Jongga Kimchi
In Germany, there are many people who make their own kimchi, and I plan to introduce a kimchi recipe as well. However, i...
Korean soup soy sauce
Guk-Ganjang
Guk Ganjang is a Korean soy sauce used especially for soups and many traditional vegetable dishes. On Hansik Young, it i...
Gochujang
Korean chili paste
Gochujang (고추장) is a thick, fermented Korean red pepper paste. It brings heat, sweetness and a savory depth to sauces, m...
Sushi rice
Sushi rice can be a practical substitute when Korean short- or medium-grain rice is difficult to find. After cooking, th...
Gochugaru
Korean chili powder
Gochugaru (고춧가루) is dried red chili used in Korean cooking. It adds chili flavor, heat and red color to kimchi, seasoned...
Ottogi Sesame Oil
참기름
Ottogi Sesame Oil is also a sesame oil that is frequently used by many Koreans. In Korea, sesame oil is often pressed di...
Soy sauce
Jin-Ganjang
Korean cooking uses several types of soy sauce. Jin Ganjang is one of the main choices for cooked dishes and is commonly...
Where to shop
Where to buy Korean ingredients
Asia-Markt
Best for gochujang, doenjang, gochugaru, kimchi, rice cakes, fish cakes and dried pantry ingredients.
Regular supermarkets
Useful for rice, vegetables, tofu, eggs, meat, spring onions and everyday substitutes.
Online
Helpful for specific brands, larger packs and ingredients you cannot easily find locally.
Kitchen Picks
Choose ingredients and kitchen tools
Pantry basics, tool guides and personal product notes with recipes to put ingredients to use.
All ingredients
Korean ingredients and practical alternatives
Browse the ingredients I use in my recipes.
Breadcrumbs
This breadcrumbs product is sold by a Korean bakery brand called Samlip . I was surprised to easily find this product in...
Tempura flour
You can find Sempio , Gom Pyo , and Baeksul frying mix at Asian markets. They are all high-quality brands.
Doenjang
Korean soybean paste, 된장
Doenjang, like gochujang and soy sauce, is one of the essential ingredients in Korean cooking. In rural areas, people of...
Dried seaweed
miyeok
You can often find dried seaweed at Asian markets in Germany. I usually buy the Ottogi and Chung Jung One brands—both ar...
Oyster sauce
The most widely used oyster sauce brand in Korea is Lee Kum Kee , a Chinese brand. I also frequently use this oyster sau...
Jongga Kimchi
In Germany, there are many people who make their own kimchi, and I plan to introduce a kimchi recipe as well. However, i...
Pizza dough
I first bought this pizza dough from Lidl , and to my surprise, it worked perfectly for making Hotteok , a classic Korea...
Spam
In Korea, spam is mainly produced by CJ in partnership with the American company Hormel and is sold under the name "Spam...
Korean soup soy sauce
Guk-Ganjang
Guk Ganjang is a Korean soy sauce used especially for soups and many traditional vegetable dishes. On Hansik Young, it i...
Matsul
similar to Cooking wine
Matsul (Korean cooking wine) is an essential ingredient in Korean cuisine. It is commonly used to remove unpleasant odor...
Dark chocolate chips
For chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chips with a high cocoa content seem to work better. I mainly use this product.
pickled green chili peppers
You can, of course, enjoy them on their own, but the spicy flavor is especially great for Korean dishes. I've only tried...
Plum extract
매실청
In Korea, "maesil" (green plums) are often used to make maesil syrup, which is widely used in cooking. I usually buy thi...
Gochujang
Korean chili paste
Gochujang (고추장) is a thick, fermented Korean red pepper paste. It brings heat, sweetness and a savory depth to sauces, m...
Sushi rice
Sushi rice can be a practical substitute when Korean short- or medium-grain rice is difficult to find. After cooking, th...
Ostmann Cayennepfeffer gemahlen
In reality, we can’t always have Korean ingredients on hand, right? Let me introduce a chili powder that works well for ...
Chicken stock powder
I think it suits Korean cooking well. Some other products have a strong turmeric (curry) flavor, so the product sold at ...
Anchovy Fish Sauce
Anchovy fish sauce is a traditional Korean ingredient made by fermenting anchovies with salt. It has a strong umami flav...
Daepa
green onion
Daepa (대파) is a commonly used ingredient in Korean cooking. It adds a fresh, savory onion aroma to soups, stews, stir-fr...
Mirin Marukin
This product is quite easy to find in Germany: Mirin Marukin from Japan. It can be used as a substitute for Korean cooki...
Azuki beans
Azuki beans are usually available at Edeka , Rewe , and Amazon . Substitute : If azuki beans are not available, peas or ...
Gochugaru
Korean chili powder
Gochugaru (고춧가루) is dried red chili used in Korean cooking. It adds chili flavor, heat and red color to kimchi, seasoned...
Ottogi Sesame Oil
참기름
Ottogi Sesame Oil is also a sesame oil that is frequently used by many Koreans. In Korea, sesame oil is often pressed di...
Chunjang
Black bean paste, 춘장
Chunjang (춘장) is a dark Korean bean paste and the key seasoning used to make jjajangmyeon and Korean jjajang sauce. It h...
Beef stock powder
In Korean cuisine, beef stock or sagol-gomtang (beef bone soup) is commonly used. Of course, if you have access to Korea...
Danmuji
pickled radish
Danmuji (단무지) is Korean pickled radish with a crunchy texture and a sweet, tangy flavor. It is best known as one of the ...
Soy sauce
Jin-Ganjang
Korean cooking uses several types of soy sauce. Jin Ganjang is one of the main choices for cooked dishes and is commonly...
Cocoa powder
Actually, there are other cocoa powder products available, but I mainly use this brand.
Dangmyeon
Korean glass noodles
Dangmyeon (Korean glass noodles) can also often be found at Go Asia or other Asian markets. While there are also glass n...
Chamsauce
참소스
Chamsauce is a sauce that was originally mainly served in Korean BBQ restaurants . It was so delicious that meat lovers ...
Yangjo Ganjang
Brewed Soy Sauce, 양조간장
Yangjo Ganjang is one of the types of soy sauce used in Korean cuisine. It can be confusing to choose the right soy sauc...
Saeu-Jeot
Salted shrimp
Saeu-jeot (새우젓) is a traditional Korean ingredient made from small shrimp fermented with salt. It has a strong salty uma...
Corn syrup
Korean marts also sell "Korean corn syrup," but I often buy "Alnatura Bio Rice Syrup," which is more easily available.
Minced garlic
Minced garlic is one of the most frequently used seasoning ingredients in Korean cooking. In Korean it is called dajin m...
Kimchi Stir-fry
김치볶음
When I really don’t feel like cooking, this Kimchi stir-fry is my lifesaver! Pair it with a fried egg (and some seaweed ...
Tuna Fish Sauce
참치액젓
Tuna fish sauce is a traditional Korean seasoning made by fermenting tuna with salt. It has a milder and slightly sweete...
Kelp
Dashima
Dashima (다시마) is dried kelp used in Korean cooking primarily to add flavor to broth. It gives soups and stews a mild sav...
Tteokbokki-Tteok
Tteokbokki-tteok (떡볶이 떡) are the plain, chewy Korean rice-cake sticks used in tteokbokki. They soften during cooking and...
Udon noodles
I usually use this brand's udon noodles . I tend to avoid frozen udon noodles since they take time to defrost. So far, I...
Jungmyeon
Medium Noodle, 중면
Somen and jungmyeon are two types of noodles often used in Korean cuisine. Somen is thin and cooks quickly, making it pe...
Kimbap seaweed
gim
At Asian or Korean markets in Germany, you can often find kimbap seaweed from brands like Chung Jung One and Gwangcheon ...
Somen
Korean Thin Noodles, 소면
Somen and jungmyeon are two types of noodles often used in Korean cuisine. Somen is thin and cooks quickly, making it pe...
Azuki bean paste
Sweet red bean paste is a filling made from cooked azuki beans and sugar. It is also sold as anko or sweetened adzuki be...
La Monegasque Sesame Oil
참기름
La Monegasque Sesame Oil is a sesame oil that I can easily buy in Germany. Based on my personal taste, there is no diffe...
Rice
It’s great to buy Korean rice if possible, but that’s not always an option. I usually use Milchreis , which I get from s...
Japanese curry roux
S&B Golden Curry
S&B Golden Curry is the Japanese curry roux used in this recipe. Choose the heat level to suit your taste. For the simpl...