You can, of course, enjoy them on their own, but the spicy flavor is especially great for Korean dishes. I've only tried this brand's product so far, but if there are other recommended options, I'd love to hear about them.

When I really don’t feel like cooking, this Kimchi stir-fry is my lifesaver! Pair it with a fried egg (and some seaweed if you have it), and it becomes the perfect side dish to enjoy with rice.

In Germany, I’ve noticed that most Asian markets sell kimchi-stir-fry(김치볶음). Jongga and Sempio are both excellent brands – give them a try! 😊

In Korea, minced garlic is incredibly easy to find, as it’s sold in convenient packaging – after all, it’s a staple in Korean cooking! At first, I thought it wouldn’t be available in Germany. But guess what? You can get minced garlic here too! In Germany, it’s sold frozen. There are several brands available, but I always use this particular product. It’s not completely finely minced, but it’s super versatile and really handy. I use it for almost all dishes that require minced garlic. I love you, FRoSTA! Please don’t raise the price. 😊

Chamsauce is a sauce that was originally mainly served in Korean BBQ restaurants. It was so delicious that meat lovers became curious about its ingredients, and soon it was also sold at Korean butcher shops. The shop owners often give a small pouch of Chamsauce along with green onions when you buy meat. This is a way to enhance the flavor of the meat, but also a brilliant marketing tactic! In Korea, it's almost unthinkable to eat meat without Chamsauce now. The sauce is actually called ‘For Meat, Chamsauce’. If you find it in Germany, definitely give it a try!

Somen and jungmyeon are two types of noodles often used in Korean cuisine. Somen is thin and cooks quickly, making it perfect for dishes like banquet noodles (janchi guksu), cold noodles, or bibim noodles. Jungmyeon, on the other hand, is thicker and chewier, ideal for soups or stir-fried dishes.

Experience in Germany

While I mostly used somen in Korea, I noticed that jungmyeon is more commonly available in Germany, which I found quite interesting. Jungmyeon has a slightly thicker texture than somen and takes a bit longer to cook.

Recommended Brands

In Germany, Asian markets often sell products from Sempio and Ottogi, both trusted and widely used brands among Koreans. These noodles are high-quality and work well for a variety of dishes.

Usage Tips

Choosing between somen and jungmyeon depends on the recipe. Somen is better for light soups, while jungmyeon suits heartier or fried dishes. Always keep an eye on the cooking time for the best results. 😊

Somen and jungmyeon are two types of noodles often used in Korean cuisine. Somen is thin and cooks quickly, making it perfect for dishes like banquet noodles (janchi guksu), cold noodles, or bibim noodles. Jungmyeon, on the other hand, is thicker and chewier, ideal for soups or stir-fried dishes.

Experience in Germany

While I mostly used somen in Korea, I noticed that jungmyeon is more commonly available in Germany, which I found quite interesting. Jungmyeon has a slightly thicker texture than somen and takes a bit longer to cook.

Recommended Brands

In Germany, Asian markets often sell products from Sempio and Ottogi, both trusted and widely used brands among Koreans. These noodles are high-quality and work well for a variety of dishes.

Usage Tips

Choosing between somen and jungmyeon depends on the recipe. Somen is better for light soups, while jungmyeon suits heartier or fried dishes. Always keep an eye on the cooking time for the best results. 😊

Yangjo Ganjang is one of the types of soy sauce used in Korean cuisine. It can be confusing to choose the right soy sauce because Korean soy sauces are typically divided into three categories:

1. Guk Ganjang (Soup Soy Sauce):

   • Used primarily for soups, with a saltier flavor than Jin Ganjang or Yangjo Ganjang.

   • Best remembered as suitable only for broth-based dishes (occasionally used in salads or dressings as well).

2. Jin Ganjang & Yangjo Ganjang:

   • Jin Ganjang is commonly used for cooked dishes such as stir-fries and braises.

   • Yangjo Ganjang is ideal for uncooked dishes like dressings, dips, or salads.

   • While the two differ in fermentation and aging processes, they can substitute for each other in most recipes.

Most Koreans use Jin Ganjang more often, but Yangjo Ganjang is prized for its naturally fermented depth of flavor, making it a great choice for dishes where heating isn't involved.

In Germany, you can easily find this product at the well-known Asian market 'Go Asia,' as well as at other Korean grocery stores. The brand is 'Jinmi Chunjang,' and the photo shows the 'Smoky Flavor' version, but there's also an 'Original Flavor' available. I've tried both and couldn't notice a significant difference—they both make delicious jjajang sauce. Any leftovers can be sealed and stored in the freezer for long-term use.

This breadcrumbs product is sold by a Korean bakery brand called Samlip. I was surprised to easily find this product in one of the larger supermarkets I go to. I use it for making tonkatsu or other fried dishes.

I usually use this brand's udon noodles. I tend to avoid frozen udon noodles since they take time to defrost. So far, I haven't had any failures with using these noodles. If you know of any other good udon noodles available in Germany, please recommend them!

You can find Sempio, Gom Pyo, and Baeksul frying mix at Asian markets. They are all high-quality brands.

You can often find dried seaweed at Asian markets in Germany. I usually buy the Ottogi and Chung Jung One brands—both are reliable and trustworthy brands.

Tuna fish sauce is a traditional Korean seasoning made by fermenting tuna with salt. It has a milder and slightly sweeter flavor compared to anchovy fish sauce, making it perfect for delicate dishes like soups, stews, and vegetable side dishes. It’s a versatile ingredient commonly used in Korean cooking to enhance umami without overpowering the dish.

I first bought this pizza dough from Lidl, and to my surprise, it worked perfectly for making Hotteok, a classic Korean snack. If you don’t have time to prepare dough from scratch, this ready-made dough is a great alternative for quick and delicious hotteok.

In Germany, there are many people who make their own kimchi, and I plan to introduce a kimchi recipe as well. However, if you’re looking for an authentic Korean kimchi flavor, I highly recommend Jongga Kimchi sold at Asian markets. It’s available in various sizes, and it’s one of the most trusted brands in Korea. As a kimchi enthusiast, I personally love this brand’s kimchi.

Ah, I almost forgot! Kimchi is well-known for being rich in probiotics. Like wine, kimchi is often enjoyed after it has been fermented for a while. Freshly made kimchi is delicious, but aged kimchi is perfect for cooking dishes like kimchi stew or kimchi fried rice. In Korea, very well-aged kimchi is called "mukeunji."

The reason I mention this is to say that even if the expiration date on kimchi is approaching, it's perfectly fine to eat it. In fact, it can be even better! 😊

Doenjang, like gochujang and soy sauce, is one of the essential ingredients in Korean cooking. In rural areas, people often make it themselves, a process referred to as "jang making", where they produce soy sauce, gochujang, and doenjang from scratch. Of course, those living in cities who have family in the countryside often share homemade jang, so they don't need to worry about buying it. However, most people purchase store-bought versions.

In Germany, you can find three main brands of doenjang: Chung Jung One Sunchang, Sempio, and CJ Haechandle. All are reputable brands with good products. However, it's important to distinguish between ssamjang and doenjang. Ssamjang is a dipping sauce used specifically when eating ssam (Korean wraps).

At Asian or Korean markets in Germany, you can often find kimbap seaweed from brands like Chung Jung One and Gwangcheon Gim. Both are excellent brands. If I come across other brands in the future, I’ll be sure to update this information. Recently, I purchased kimbap seaweed from the Gwangcheon Gim brand.

Salted shrimp, or saeu-jeot, is a traditional Korean ingredient made by fermenting small shrimp with salt. It has a salty and rich umami flavor and is widely used in Korean cooking, especially for making kimchi, stews, or dipping sauces.

If salted shrimp is difficult to find, you can substitute it with other fermented fish sauces like anchovy fish sauce or sand lance fish sauce (kanari aekjeot). While the taste won’t be exactly the same, it will still add a similar depth of flavor.

Anchovy fish sauce is a traditional Korean ingredient made by fermenting anchovies with salt. It has a strong umami flavor and is widely used in Korean cooking, especially for making kimchi or enhancing the depth of soups and stews.

Danmuji (pickled radish) is crunchy, sweet, and tangy, making it a perfect pairing with kimbap. It’s also a great side dish for jjamppong and jjajangmyeon.

In Korea, danmuji comes in various shapes, but it’s typically divided into kimbap-sized strips and block-shaped pieces (ijeol danmuji). While the taste is the same, if you can’t find kimbap-sized danmuji, you can buy ijeol danmuji and cut it into strips for kimbap—it’s a bit of extra work, but it works just fine.

In Germany, Chung Jung One and Ha Sun Jung brands are commonly available.

When making Korean kimbap, using Milchreis (commonly used for rice in Germany) can be tricky because the grains tend to scatter and fall apart. Unfortunately, for making kimbap, it’s best to use Korean rice or Japanese rice, which provide the best results.

However, since it’s not always possible to buy Korean or Japanese rice, another good option is to use sushi rice. I usually buy this type of rice, and if I remember correctly, I got it from Lidl.

It’s great to buy Korean rice if possible, but that’s not always an option. I usually use Milchreis, which I get from stores like Lidl or Rewe, as it’s quite similar to the taste of Korean rice. I do wish it came in larger packages, though.

However, when making kimbap, I use a different type of rice. You can find more information about that on another ingredient card.

This product is quite easy to find in Germany: Mirin Marukin from Japan. It can be used as a substitute for Korean cooking wine (matsul).

Matsul (Korean cooking wine) is an essential ingredient in Korean cuisine. It is commonly used to remove unpleasant odors from food and to tenderize meat. Mirin, a Japanese cooking wine, is often used in Korean recipes as a substitute for matsul. I’ll add more details about it on another ingredient card.

The most widely used oyster sauce brand in Korea is Lee Kum Kee, a Chinese brand. I also frequently use this oyster sauce.

Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides, making it easy to access fresh seafood. As a result, many dishes use seafood-based broths instead of meat-based broths. Ingredients like dashima (kelp), dried anchovies, and dried shrimp are commonly used to make these broths.

Whenever I see dashima in Korean marts here in Germany, I make sure to stock up on it!

In reality, we can’t always have Korean ingredients on hand, right? Let me introduce a chili powder that works well for Korean dishes in Germany. This is the product I use as a substitute. If you add some peperoncino along with it, you can achieve that spicy kick we love!

In Korea, spam is mainly produced by CJ in partnership with the American company Hormel and is sold under the name "Spam." In Germany, I use "Tulip Frühstücksfleisch," which I find similar to spam, though slightly less salty in my opinion. It works well for all Korean spam recipes.

Korean marts also sell "Korean corn syrup," but I often buy "Alnatura Bio Rice Syrup," which is more easily available.

In Korea, "maesil" (green plums) are often used to make maesil syrup, which is widely used in cooking. I usually buy this at Korean markets in Frankfurt or Düsseldorf.

I think it suits Korean cooking well. Some other products have a strong turmeric (curry) flavor, so the product sold at Lidl is the most neutral option.

In Korean cuisine, beef stock or sagol-gomtang (beef bone soup) is commonly used. Of course, if you have access to Korean seasonings, you should use those, but if not, I find the product sold at Lidl works best for Korean dishes.

Actually, there are other cocoa powder products available, but I mainly use this brand.

For chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chips with a high cocoa content seem to work better. I mainly use this product.