Some Korean cooking condiments

If you've been reading my recent posts, you may have noticed my keen interest in Korean cooking.

If you like Korean food and want to try cooking at home, its best to use Korean condiments and cooking sauces. You can try substituting with Chinese sesame or Vietnamese fish sauce but it will not taste the same.

I've also noticed that the Korean min-marts (that is where I usually shop for my Korean foodstuff) usually have the fresher herbs like mint leaves, spring onion and coriander. The quality of vegetables such as zucchini and cucumber are actually better (straighter and less seeds inside, do I sound picky??) compared to the ones you could get at bigger supermarkets or even local wet markets, surprise, surprise huh?

Not understanding Korean language and the store keeper's English not fluent (except where it matters most - at the cashier, hehe), found it rather challenging to identify the sauces.

With that in mind, thought this would be a good post to share and hopefully you will be more informed in your next browse and visit at the Korean mini-mart. :)

On the RHS - Corn syrup.
On the LHS - two brands of Cooking rice wine.

Korean fish sauce, two types. Was told that the blue one is usually used to make kimchi as it is less pungent/strong compared to the red cap one.
Its true, having bought both of them.

RHS - Sesame oil (the backbone of Korean cooking).
LHS - Soya sauce.

RHS - Vinegar drink (to promote health). Similar to apple cider. Flavours available are blueberry and pomegranate. Personally prefer the pomegranate one.
LHS - Apple flavour cooking vinegar. If things are not confusing enough, they also have plum and lemon flavoured ones.

RHS - Soya sauce for cooking soup. It is less salty compared to normal soya sauce.
LHS - Normal soya sauce.

Kimchi - what you should always have, stashed in the darkest corner of your fridge! :)

From the top LHS - Korean coarse sea salt, instant anchovy granules and local dried anchovies.
The coarse salt is usually used for making kimchi. The dried anchovies are used for boiling soup/stock.

From the top LHS - gochujang (hot peper paste), doenjang (soya bean paste), gochugaru (red pepper flakes), roasted sesame seeds (white or black).

From LHS - dangmyeon (glass noodles made from sweet potato starch) wheat noodles and instant noodles.

From LHS - Korean fish cake and rice cakes.

Ingredients to make kimbap or Korean sushi roll.
From top LHS - crab stick, Korean ham, yellow pickled radish, seaweed for sushi, roasted seaweed and instant pre-mix aburrage to make yubuchobap or inari sushi.

Vacuum sealed instant rice (hatban) - comes in a few flavours, normal white rice, sprouted brown rice and black rice! Just warm up in microwave for about 2 mins.

Disclaimer - NOT my fridge.

Top shelf - soju. For a colourless distilled liquor, do not underestimate it as it is quite 'hard' with a sharp after taste. I get totally giddy by the 3rd shot glass!! Korea's equivalent to vodka (not my favourite drink) but goes well with grilled meat.

Bottom shelf - makoli or rice wine. Tried but perhaps I didn't get the right brand, personally do not like it that much.