Korean
Cheonggukjang (Fast-Fermented Soybean Stew)
A stew built on soybeans fermented for only two or three days, left whole in the pot — deeper and far more pungent than doenjang jjigae. The paste goes in last and is barely simmered, and the broth must be seasoned before it does, because cheonggukjang is salty and there is no taking it back.
Dak-gangjeong (Sweet Crispy Glazed Fried Chicken)
Boneless chicken dredged in potato starch alone, fried twice, then tossed off the heat in a soy-and-syrup glaze that was reduced beforehand, and finished with crushed peanuts. Starch instead of flour, and a glaze reduced before the chicken meets it, are what keep it crisp as it cools.
Ganjang-gejang (Raw Blue Crab Cured in Soy Sauce)
Live blue crab cured — not cooked — in a soy brine that has been boiled and then chilled completely. The brine goes on cold and is re-boiled once after a couple of days, and only marine blue crab is used, never freshwater crab. Read the safety notes first.
Jokbal (Soy-Braised Pig's Trotters)
Pig's trotters braised for two hours in soy sauce and spices until the skin turns to gelatin, then cooled and sliced thin. Slice it hot and it falls apart, so it has to go cold first — and the star anise and cinnamon must stay sparing or it tastes medicinal.
Kongguksu (Chilled Soy Milk Noodles)
Summer noodles in chilled soy milk: soaked beans boiled briefly, skinned, then blended smooth. Not overboiling them and slipping the skins off are what give a fine broth with no astringency — and whether it is seasoned with salt or with sugar splits along regional lines.
Gamjatang (Spicy Pork Back-Bone Stew with Potato)
Pork back-bones simmered until they give, with cabbage greens, whole potatoes and a finish of ground perilla seed. Whether it smells porky is decided by the prep rather than the seasoning — soak, then parboil and throw that water away — and the perilla goes in at the very end.
Naengmyeon (Cold Buckwheat Noodles in Chilled Broth)
Korea's summer noodle dish: buckwheat noodles in a beef broth chilled almost to slush. Two things decide it — how cold the broth actually gets, and how thoroughly you rub the starch off the noodles in cold water. Cold blunts the palate, so it needs seasoning harder than any hot soup.
Hotteok (Sweet Pancakes)
Chewy yeasted pancakes stuffed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts, griddled until golden — a beloved Korean winter street snack. One bite and the hot brown-sugar syrup oozes out. Puffy and chewy from a yeast dough, and easy to make fresh at home.
Kongnamul Muchim (Seasoned Soybean Sprouts)
A staple Korean side dish — crunchy soybean sprouts quickly blanched and tossed with sesame oil, garlic, and salt. Ten minutes and a few ingredients, it works as a rice side and as the topping for bibimbap and gukbap alike.
Yukgaejang (Spicy Beef Soup)
A fiery Korean beef soup: brisket simmered until tender and shredded, loaded with scallion, fernbrake, and bean sprouts in a broth spiked with chili oil. Deep, hot, and restorative — ladle it over rice for a full meal.
Kalguksu (Knife-cut Noodle Soup)
A comforting Korean noodle soup: chewy hand-cut wheat noodles simmered with zucchini in a milky anchovy-kelp broth. Humble but deeply savory, it's the bowl Koreans crave on a rainy day.
Jjimdak (Braised Chicken)
Andong-style braised chicken with potatoes, carrots, and glass noodles in a sweet-savory soy sauce. The glossy sauce soaks into the chewy noodles and tender chicken, making one pot a hearty meal for the whole family.
Gamja Jorim (Soy-Braised Potatoes)
Cubed potatoes braised down in a sweet-savory soy sauce — a classic Korean side. Glossy on the outside, fluffy within, and just salty-sweet enough to make a bowl of rice disappear. Shishito peppers add color and aroma.
Ojingeo Bokkeum (Spicy Stir-fried Squid)
Squid stir-fried hot and fast with onion, carrot, and cabbage in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce. Keep it on the heat only briefly so it stays tender — spoon it over rice for an instant squid rice bowl.
Myeolchi-bokkeum (Stir-fried Anchovies)
A classic Korean side dish of small dried anchovies tossed in a soy-and-syrup glaze. Dry-toast them first and add the syrup off the heat, and you get a savory-sweet banchan that stays crisp when cooled.
Sigeumchi-namul (Seasoned Spinach)
A classic Korean seasoned-vegetable side of lightly blanched spinach tossed with garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. A healthy 5-minute dish — great as a side or a bibimbap topping.
Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup)
Korean rice cake soup: oval rice cakes simmered in anchovy or beef broth, topped with egg ribbons and nori. Eaten at Lunar New Year (it 'adds a year'), and ready in 30 minutes once you have the rice cakes.
Dubu-jorim (Braised Tofu)
A classic Korean side dish of pan-fried tofu braised in a sweet-and-spicy soy sauce. Made from everyday ingredients in one pan in 20 minutes — the saucy bits are great over rice.
Eomuk-bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)
A classic Korean side dish of fish cake stir-fried with vegetables in a sweet soy sauce. Made from everyday ingredients in one pan in 10 minutes, and just as good cold for lunchboxes.
Gamja-jeon (Potato Pancake)
Korean potato pancakes made from finely grated potato. Stir the settled starch back in and they turn out crisp outside and chewy inside with almost no other ingredients — a rainy-day favorite.
Janchi-guksu (Banquet Noodle Soup)
Warm Korean noodles — thin somyeon in a clear anchovy-kelp broth with simple toppings. The name ('banquet noodles') comes from serving guests at celebrations like weddings. Once the broth is made the noodles cook in minutes — a comforting, slurpable bowl at home.
Kongnamul-guk (Soybean Sprout Soup)
A clean, refreshing Korean soup of soybean sprouts in a light broth. Seasoned simply with garlic and salt it's already crisp and savory; an anchovy-kelp stock adds depth. Ready in 10 minutes and famously good for a hangover — a Korean home staple.
Dakbokkeumtang (Braised Spicy Chicken)
Korean braised spicy chicken — chicken, potato, and carrot simmered in a sweet-spicy gochujang and chili sauce. The potatoes turn fluffy in the kalkalhan sauce, and glass noodles make it heartier. A hearty one-pot for the whole table.
Budae Jjigae (Army Stew)
A spicy, hearty Korean stew of ham, sausage, baked beans, and kimchi simmered with instant noodles. Born after the Korean War from U.S. army-base surplus — hence the name 'army stew'. Comfort food made for sharing.
Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Korea's signature tonic soup — a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng, garlic, and jujube, simmered into a milky, restorative broth. A summer staple; tender chicken, rich broth, and rice porridge inside.
Mandu (Dumplings)
Korean dumplings — a seasoned filling of pork, tofu, bean sprouts, and kimchi folded into wrappers, then steamed, pan-fried, or boiled. Dipped in soy-vinegar; a family favorite for holidays and any day.
Bibim-guksu (Spicy Mixed Noodles)
Korean spicy mixed noodles — chewy somyeon rinsed cold and tossed in a sweet-sour-spicy gochujang sauce. With sour kimchi and cucumber, it's the quick summer dish for when nothing else appeals.
Kimchijeon (Kimchi Pancake)
Korean kimchi pancake — well-fermented kimchi chopped into a batter and pan-fried crisp. The classic rainy-day dish with makgeolli, and the tastiest way to use up sour kimchi.
Gyeranjjim (Steamed Egg)
Korean steamed egg — beaten egg blended with stock and gently steamed in an earthenware pot until soft and puffed. Served bubbling at the table, it's a universally loved everyday side.
Jjamppong (Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup)
Korea's spicy Chinese-style noodle soup — a fiery chili-oil broth loaded with squid, mussels, shrimp, and vegetables over chewy noodles. Hot, briny, and bracing; the eternal rival to jjajangmyeon.
Tangsuyuk (Sweet & Sour Pork)
Korea's Chinese-style sweet-and-sour pork — strips double-fried in a settled-starch batter for crunch, finished with a tangy-sweet sauce. The famous 'pour vs dip' debate dish, and the classic partner to jjajangmyeon.
Miyeokguk (Seaweed Soup)
A Korean staple soup — miyeok (wakame) and beef stir-fried in sesame oil and simmered into a milky, savory broth. The soup for birthdays and new mothers; gentle, warming, and comforting.
Jjajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles)
Korea's beloved Chinese-style noodle dish — chewy wheat noodles under a glossy black bean (chunjang) sauce simmered with pork, onion, and cabbage. Topped with cucumber and mixed before eating; a takeout classic.
Kimchi (Napa Cabbage Kimchi)
Korea's iconic fermented dish — napa cabbage salted, then layered with a paste of gochugaru, garlic, ginger, and fermented seafood, and left to ferment. Crisp when fresh, deep and tangy when aged; the foundation of Korean cooking.
Yangnyeom Chicken (Korean Fried Chicken)
Korean fried chicken in a sweet-spicy glaze — double-fried in potato starch for crunch, then tossed in a gochujang-ketchup-syrup sauce. Best eaten fresh and crisp; the star of chimaek (chicken and beer).
Gyeranmari (Rolled Omelette)
Korean rolled omelette — beaten egg mixed with carrot and scallion, poured in stages over low heat and rolled into a thick log. A lunchbox and side-dish staple: simple, but all about the technique.
Galbijjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs)
Korea's celebration centerpiece — beef short ribs soaked and blanched to clean them, then braised in a soy sauce with radish, carrot, chestnut, and jujube until fall-apart tender and glossy-sweet.
Suyuk (Boiled Pork)
Pork simmered until tender in an aromatic doenjang broth, then sliced thick against the grain. Served with salted-shrimp dip, kimchi, and garlic — the heart of a bossam spread.
Sundubu Jjigae (Soft Tofu Stew)
A bubbling earthenware stew of silky soft tofu in a spicy chili-oil broth, with an egg cracked in at the end. Comfort in a single hot pot, made for a bowl of rice.
Haemul Pajeon (Seafood Scallion Pancake)
A crispy Korean pancake — a bed of scallions loaded with squid and shrimp in a golden batter, crisp at the edges and tender inside. The classic rainy-day dish to share with makgeolli.
Kimchi Bokkeumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice)
Day-old rice stir-fried with well-fermented kimchi and pork, finished with sesame oil and a runny fried egg — Korea's go-to comfort meal, ready in 20 minutes from whatever is in the fridge.
Dak-galbi (Spicy Stir-fried Chicken)
Chuncheon-style spicy chicken: gochujang-marinated thigh meat stir-fried on a big hot pan with cabbage, sweet potato, and rice cakes. Finish with melted cheese, or fry rice in the leftover sauce for round two.
Japchae (Glass Noodle Stir-fry)
Chewy sweet-potato glass noodles tossed with colorful vegetables and beef in a sweet-savory soy seasoning — Korea's classic celebration dish, a fixture at holidays and birthday tables.
Jeyuk Bokkeum (Spicy Stir-fried Pork)
Thinly sliced pork stir-fried in a sweet-and-spicy gochujang sauce — a Korean everyday favorite, seared fast over high heat to make a whole bowl of rice disappear.
Gimbap (Seaweed Rice Rolls)
Rice and assorted fillings rolled in seaweed and sliced — Korea's classic packed-lunch and picnic snack.
Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes)
Chewy rice cakes simmered in a sweet-and-spicy gochujang sauce — Korea's most beloved street snack, served with fish cakes and boiled eggs.
Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew)
Korea's everyday comfort stew — earthy fermented soybean paste simmered with zucchini, tofu, and potato in anchovy stock.
Bibimbap (Mixed Rice Bowl)
A colorful bowl of rice topped with seasoned vegetables, beef, and a fried egg, mixed with gochujang — a great way to use up seasoned greens.
Bulgogi (Marinated Grilled Beef)
Thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet soy sauce and quickly seared — Korea's most beloved beef dish, great over rice or in lettuce wraps.
Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)
Korea's iconic stew of well-fermented kimchi and pork in a deep, spicy broth — humble home cooking that makes you reach for rice.