Korean Pantry Essentials

Rice 쌀 (ssal)

Rice is the staple and the main dish of the Korean rice table.
It holds so much importance in Korean diet. The type of rice grown & consumed in Korea is short grain rice (it’s a similar variety to that of Japan, a.k.a. sushi rice). It has a higher starch content than long-grain rice varieties like jasmine, basmati, etc., so it has a firmer and more sticky texture. Because of its firmer texture, the rice needs to be soaked in water prior to cooking. Check out my posting on how to cook rice.
The selection of rice may differ depending on where you live but I try to go for locally grown short grain rice for freshness & sustainability (I live in The Netherlands and rice does not grow here, so I usually get the short-grain rice grown in Italy which is probably the closest rice producing region).

Multi grains 잡곡(jap-gok)

Koreans love to mix in various grains to Bap 밥(cooked rice). Indigenous Korean grains include barley, yellow & green millet, black rice, red rice, sorghum, etc. We have a tradition to eat Ogokbap 오곡밥 (five grain rice) for Jeongwol Daeboreum,
the Full Moon Festival on lunar 15th January.
Indigenous(to Korea) or not, multi grains make a great addition to your rice. Nowadays we have multi grains from all over the world, why not try something new? If you need a guidance
in mixing in some multi grains, check out my post.

Soybeans 콩 (kong)

Soybeans are essential ingredient in Korean cooking. Why? Because they’re packed with protein and have long been used to make Jang, the Korean mother sauces based on soy fermentation. Not only that, soybeans are used to make tofu, soup, and even sprouted to grow Kongnamul 콩나물 (soybean sprouts).
If you are interested how soybeans turns itself into Jang, check out our Fermentation section of the blog.

Red beans 팥 (pat)

Otherwise known in a Japanese-derived expression – adzuki/azuki/aduki beans – red beans are known for its sweet smell and rich taste.
You can find dried red beans in stores (Asian shops and organic stores in many countries in Europe has them) or even online.
They can be mixed into rice to make Patbap 팥밥 (red bean rice), which is often made for birthdays.
Its main usage in Korean cooking is for desserts and porridges.

Thin noodles 소면 (somyeon)

These dried wheat flour noodles are so versatile in Korean cooking. A variety of dishes can be made using these noodles. If you can’t find the Korean ones, Japanese somen or Chinese sumian noodles can also be used.
The noodles only need 3 minutes to cook in boiling water.
But Be sure to rinse them well under cold running water for better texture. Step by step instruction and multiple recipes are uploaded on our Youtube channel.

Glass noodles 당면 (dangmyeon)

These noodles, also called Korean vermicelli, are made of sweet potato starch. Although they look similar to rice/mung bean vermicelli, they’re much more chewy & firm in terms of texture. They are the essential ingredient for Japchae 잡채 (Korean stir-fried glass noodles & vegetables).
To prepare the noodles, you need to soak them in water or boil prior to cooking depending on the recipe.
Note that these noodles get quite bulky when cooked, so around 30g would make one portion (also because they’re served with veggies too!).

Tofu 두부 (dubu)

Another essential, yet versatile ingredient for plant-based diet is tofu. Made with protein-rich soybeans, they’re always a great addition to soup and stews. But of course, they can be used in so many different ways too.
On lazy week nights, I sometimes go for a warm block of tofu with kimchi.
I usually opt for Korean brands because they’re softer than the ones in regular supermarkets. The texture is different because Koreans use tofu more for soup/stew/steam/pan-frying, whereas in Western world, it’s used quite often for stir-frying (more of Chinese & Taiwanese influence).