{"id":25600,"date":"2021-09-22T12:42:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T16:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/?p=25600"},"modified":"2022-06-29T10:28:50","modified_gmt":"2022-06-29T14:28:50","slug":"korean-pantry-staples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-pantry-staples\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Korean Pantry Staples to Stock for Korean Cooking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Preparing your favorite Korean dish is fun and rewarding, but first, let's get some Korean pantry staples so you'll have what you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Korean food is one of the healthiest cuisines to explore. Vegetables star in many dishes. Fermentation is a popular method of preservation which means those dishes, such as kimchi, pack a nutrient-dense punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My daughters and I started watching Kdramas in 2012, right after Dramafever was born and we've been in love with Korean culture, food, and music ever since. Over the years, we've watched Kimchi Chronicles, Maangchi's YouTube Channel, and other cooking shows that have intensified our love for Korean food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our interest in Korean Cuisine began by watching Korean Dramas, but the variety of flavors sustains it! Because some of the ingredients are a bit different than what your pantry might have on the shelves, here are a few Korean Pantry Staples.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of this article, I'll share resources you can use if you want to find out more from authentic Korean chefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Korean Cooking at Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Korea is on my bucket list of places to visit, but if you're like me and haven't had the opportunity to go there, you can still explore the culture through food. (As well as learning a bit of the language, music, and history.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Korean food is absolutely delicious with plenty of variety and I've found it to be quite healthful if you make good choices and avoid the junky processed foods. That goes for just about any culture's food though, really, doesn't it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We've been to Korean BBQ restaurants in New York, California, Georgia, and even here in Tennessee. Q Korean Steakhouse opened in 2020 here in Knoxville, highly recommend the &#8220;<em>unlimited<\/em>&#8221; which is absolutely worth it. This means unlimited side dishes and meat to grill (you can do it or your server can, you choose.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Korean Recipes You'll Love<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are new to Korean food, here are a few of the more popular dishes you'll see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap-500x375.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap-600x450.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap-800x600.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bibimbap.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Bulgogi<\/strong> translates to &#8220;fire meat&#8221; as it's usually you cook the meat yourself over an open flame bbq grill. At home, you can cook it in a frying pan or a stovetop griddle. Make sure to get a good quality sauce or make your own.<\/li><li><strong>Bibimbap<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; An assortment of meat, rice, veggies, with sauce, and possibly a fried egg on top. In dolsot bibimbap, you may see a raw egg yolk on top, but&nbsp;don't worry, the heat from the hot bowl will cook the egg as you mix it in. By the way the word translates to &#8220;mixing rice&#8221; which is accurate to what you do when you receive a bowl of this scrumptious food.<\/li><li><strong>Tteokbokki<\/strong> &#8211; Rice cakes that are chewy and soft (not puffed rice cakes that dieters eat.) These are pretty bland in flavor, which is why they're often swimming in a sauce made up of a combination of gochujang (Korean red&nbsp;chili&nbsp;pepper paste) and gochugaru (Korean red&nbsp;chili&nbsp;pepper flakes.) You can&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maangchi.com\/recipe\/garaetteok\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">watch Maangchi make rice cakes<\/a>&nbsp;but you can also purchase them ready-made at your local Asian market. My daughter loves street-style tteokbokki; we use&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.beyondkimchee.com\/spicy-korean-rice-cakes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this recipe<\/a>.<\/li><li><strong>Gimbap or Kimbap<\/strong> &#8211; Looks like sushi, but typically made with cooked meat as opposed to raw fish.<\/li><li><strong>Jjajangmyeon<\/strong> &#8211; Black Bean Noodles, the most popular takeout dish in Korea, are incredibly popular. Here's a nice&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.koreanbapsang.com\/jajangmyeon-noodles-in-black-bean-sauce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">jjajangmyeon recipe<\/a>&nbsp;for you to try.<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.koreanbapsang.com\/omurice-omelette-rice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Omurice<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;&#8211; Rice topped with an omelet. (om-rice &#8211; makes sense to me!) The kdrama Rooftop Prince popularized Omurice in other countries!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25610\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry-500x375.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry-600x450.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry-800x600.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/korean-pantry.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Popular Korean Side Dishes (Banchan)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Kimchi<\/strong> &#8211; No meal would be complete without this spicy and flavorful fermented food. There are many varieties of kimchi, but the one you'll see most often in the supermarket and cookbooks is Nappa Cabbage Kimchi. (Try making your own, it's fun!)<\/li><li><strong>Spicy Cucumber Salad<\/strong> &#8211; We love&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maangchi.com\/recipe\/oi-muchim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maangchi's version of spicy cucumber salad<\/a>, but you get it, basically a mixture of cucumbers, hot pepper flakes, soy sauce, sesame oil, and other flavors.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Soy potatoes<\/strong> &#8211;  Sweet and salty. This Korean side dish differs from most American potato dishes. Soy sauce is the primary seasoning and is slightly sweet. I like to use&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/kimchimari.com\/korean-potato-side-dish-gamja-jorim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this recipe<\/a>&nbsp;when I make this dish, and make sure to use a waxy potato, like red or Yukon gold, not an Idaho potato for this one.<\/li><li><strong>White rice, steamed, stir-fried rice<\/strong> &#8211; Rice is a staple in the Korean Kitchen. In restaurants, you may have these three options.<\/li><li><strong>Stir fries<\/strong> &#8211; Mixing essential ingredients of meat, vegetables, and chili paste will result in the most amazing stir fry dishes you'll ever taste.<\/li><li><strong>Jjigae<\/strong> &#8211; a Korean stew that is often served in a communal dish. (I wonder if and how this tradition has changed in the last few years with the virus?)<\/li><li><strong>Mandu<\/strong> (Korean dumplings) are also very popular, you may have even had some as an appetizer. Korean dumplings often use tofu in the filling whereas Chinese may have meat fillings.<\/li><li><strong>Namul<\/strong> &#8211; Herbs, greens, and side dishes made with them. Spinach is the main ingredient in the popular side dish Sigemuchi Namul. I have a side dish that I make that is very similar&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/garlicky-sauteed-spinach-mushrooms\/\">here<\/a>, although mine wasn't mean to be Korean in nature.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Essential&nbsp;Korean Elements for Popular Dishes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you first begin experimenting with Korean cooking you'll want to add a few pantry items to get you through those recipes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let's start making mouth-watering dishes from Korea with meat, vegetables, rice, and sauces listed below. Here are some of the more popular foods you'll see in recipes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Korean&nbsp;rice is usually medium or short-grain&nbsp;rice, and good news for the gluten-free crowd, rice is naturally gluten-free. Mix rice with other grains or even beans to improve taste, texture, and nutrition. An example of this: <a href=\"https:\/\/kimchimari.com\/korean-multigrain-rice-japgokbap-ogokbap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Korean Multigrain Rice<\/a> (Japgokbap.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soup is incredibly popular in Korea. Known for its ability to replenish energy and support healthy immune function, try <strong>Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup<\/strong> (Samyetang.) This recipe from Seoul is worth trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Korean soup, or&nbsp;<em>guk<\/em>&nbsp;is an essential element of Korean food culture. Many Koreans feel that along with rice, kimchi, and banchan, no meal is complete without it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Talking about all of these mouth-watering dishes is making me so hungry! So, let's get in the kitchen and find out what kinds of ingredients we might need to make a few of these delicious Korean Foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Korean Pantry Staples <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting with the most important: fresh produce. I'd encourage you to explore an Asian supermarket for some if not all of the items on this list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fresh Produce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In no particular order, I'll list some of the most popular fresh produce items I've seen and used since I started exploring Korean cuisine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Chives<\/strong> &#8211; these little green herbs add flavor to many Korean dishes.<\/li><li><strong>Mushrooms<\/strong> &#8211; Shitaki, enoki, oyster; these and other mushrooms may be called for in a recipe.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Ginger Root<\/strong> &#8211; You'll see ginger root used alongside garlic in many dishes including my&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bulgogi&nbsp;sauce<\/a>.<\/li><li><strong>Lotus Root<\/strong> &#8211; used in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/futuredish.com\/braised-lotus-root\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Braised Lotus Root side dish<\/a>&nbsp;as well as other ways, this is exactly what it sounds like, the root of the aquatic Lotus plant. Chinese dishes often use Lotus root as well. Watch famous YouTube creator LiZiQi harvest and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/o33PRJR_yVI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">use every part of lotus root<\/a>.<\/li><li><strong>Korean Pear<\/strong> &#8211; crisper than other types of pears and to me, seems more like an apple but only in texture, works great as a sweetener in sauces.<\/li><li><strong>Korean Eggplant<\/strong> (you can substitute other types of eggplant)<\/li><li><strong>Green Chili Peppers, Shishito Peppers<\/strong>, and others are often used in fermentation&nbsp;recipes as well as stir-fry dishes, and many more.<\/li><li><strong>Greens<\/strong> like Mustard greens, spinach, bok choy, chard, Napa Cabbage, Minari, etc.<\/li><li><strong>Perilla Leaves<\/strong> (you might find these at the Asian supermarket, I've never seen them in a traditional grocery store)<\/li><li><strong>Kelp&nbsp;and Kombu<\/strong>&nbsp;are&nbsp;types of seaweed that are often used in recipes for soups, stocks, and other dishes as well. Seaweed is typically dried and not fresh produce, but I'm adding it here because it's something you might keep in your pantry to boost flavor and it has nutrients like fresh produce.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Spices, Sauces, Seasonings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Korean ingredients such as red pepper, chili flakes, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, scallions, and radish aren't hard to find in American supermarkets. You'll find more unique Korean foods in an Asian Market or a Korean specialty store. If you don't live near one, try looking for these special ingredients on Amazon or Thrive Market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Fish Sauce<\/strong> &#8211; We typically buy the Red Boat brand. Fish sauce is a popular ingredient in Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and other cuisines as well. It's a popular Paleo seasoning as well.<\/li><li><strong>Soybean Paste <\/strong>(Doenjang) &#8211; This is a bit different than miso&nbsp;(Japanese fermented soybeans) and has a more complex and hearty flavor. It's also harder to find, but most Asian supermarkets should carry some, and I've found it at Whole Foods. You can also substitute miso paste, however, choose a darker more earthy miso.<\/li><li><strong>Black Bean Paste<\/strong> (fermented beans mixed with flour and other ingredients) is the main ingredient in the ever-popular black bean noodles. (If you wanna see these watch the Korean Drama: Wok of Love or Coffee Prince.)&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Soy Sauce&nbsp;(ganjang)<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Known for its ability to add saltiness to a dish, this sauce is made from fermented soybeans&nbsp;and wheat. There's a lot to know when it comes to soy sauce. Traditional ganjang&nbsp;is said to be quite different from the brewed soy sauce we are used to here in the states.&nbsp;If you want to learn more about how to use the various types, what a Korean cook would do, read&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/kimchimari.com\/korean-soy-sauce-a-buying-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">JinJoo's soy sauce&nbsp;buying guide<\/a>.<\/li><li><strong>Gochujang<\/strong> is a fermented spicy paste made with red chilies that is used in Korean cooking. It can be hard to find one without corn syrup, so I learned to make my own pepper paste using my preferred sweeteners. However, recently I found&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3EAxIon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this one<\/a>&nbsp;at Kroger that is sweetened with rice syrup and cane sugar, but it's less expensive to make my own and I like it better homemade.<\/li><li><strong>Red chili flakes<\/strong> are a definite staple and are used in so many ways. Banchan (side dishes) as well as dipping sauces, marinades, and even as a garnish.<\/li><li><strong>Mirin<\/strong> is a sweet rice wine used in cooking many Korean (and Japanese) dishes. We like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3ko6zwO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mirin made by Eden Foods<\/a>.<\/li><li><strong>Sesame Oil<\/strong>&nbsp;(chamgireum)&nbsp;&#8211; Toasted sesame oil is not only used for cooking, but for adding flavor to sauces and dishes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Condiments to complement your Korean Dishes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While you might find some unhealthy ingredients listed in some of the cookbooks, feel free to substitute them with healthier alternatives. For example, if I see corn syrup listed, I might choose honey or allulose syrup (zero-calorie sugar alcohol) instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find many ready-made condiments in the store, however, it is so satisfying to make your own and often can be more nutritious. Black bean paste for the black bean noodle dish Jajangmyeon has caramel color added. I'm not sure if the caramel color is entirely necessary and I don't want to eat it as could potentially\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gluten.lovetoknow.com\/Is_Caramel_Color_Harmful\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">elevate the risk of cancer in some people<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pepper Paste (gochujang) is one I make all the time. This&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/iheartumami.com\/paleo-gochujang-sauce-korean-chili-paste\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paleo Gochujang recipe<\/a>&nbsp;is the one that I use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ssamjang is a popular dipping sauce that you can make at home with ingredients that aren't too hard to find. Here's the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maangchi.com\/recipe\/ssamjang\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">go-to recipe for making ssamjang<\/a>&nbsp;that I use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to purchase ready-made condiments and sauces, I recommend checking Thrive Market first. You can also find some decent ones at places like Whole Foods, Earth Fare, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beans Grains in the Korean Pantry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rice is the predominant grain used in the Korean Pantry. Here are a few other beans and grains that you may see in some recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sushi Rice or other short&nbsp;grain&nbsp;rice<\/li><li>Barley<\/li><li>Millet<\/li><li>Sorghum<\/li><li>Red Beans<\/li><li>Black Soybeans<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to reports, pork is the most popular meat consumed in Korea, however, you'll find recipes that use beef, chicken, fish and pork. Beef is particularly prized and expensive in Korea due to high demand and limited supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Dried anchovies are used to make stock, which can then be the base for soups, stews, and other dishes. Known for their umami&nbsp;flavor, dried anchovies are popular&nbsp;<\/li><li>Pork belly is popular and you'll find at Korean BBQ restaurants and it's fun to grill at home, too!&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dessert<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>No article about Korean food would be complete without a mention of&nbsp;<em><strong>Bungeoppang!<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/em>My kids love the storebought version of this popular fish-shaped pastry filled with vanilla ice cream and sweet red bean paste. Bungeoppang can be sweet or savory; we've only tried it sweet, but I have a pan to make the pastries, so I plan to explore this area more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang-500x375.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang-600x450.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang-800x600.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/bungeoppang.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Explore Korean Food at Home with these Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I've listed The best Korean Cookbooks in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/best-korean-cookbooks\/\">this post<\/a>, but here are the two I refer to the most when craving Korean food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3CHdwjH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maangchi's Real Korean Cooking<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3AwMFW6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow\">Korean BBQ<\/a> by Bill Kim<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Watch this short video to see just a few of the recipes from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/best-korean-cookbooks\/\">Korean cookbooks<\/a> we've tried, including Bill Kim's popular sauces. See the book recommendation above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Best Korean Cookbooks Sampling of Recipes We&#039;ve Tried\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PpnMtq3zv-k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you've never seen a &#8220;kdrama&#8221; and have no idea what I'm referring to, check out my 2016 post on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/watch-korean-dramas\/\">Korean Dramas<\/a>. Be prepared to start craving Korean food; you've been warned!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recipes and Bloggers I recommend:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.koreanbapsang.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Korean-American Mom Blogger<\/a>&nbsp;with excellent recipes and an entire section on Korean Drama Food&nbsp;<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/mykoreankitchen.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">My Korean Kitchen<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.maangchi.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maangchi<\/a> (I prefer to use her cookbooks rather than her website.)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"mai-grid entries entries-grid has-boxed has-image-full\" style=\"--entry-title-font-size:var(--font-size-lg);--align-text:center;--entry-meta-text-align:center;\"><div class=\"entries-wrap has-columns\" style=\"--columns-xs:1\/1;--columns-sm:1\/1;--columns-md:1\/3;--columns-lg:1\/3;--flex-xs:0 0 var(--flex-basis);--flex-sm:0 0 var(--flex-basis);--flex-md:0 0 var(--flex-basis);--flex-lg:0 0 var(--flex-basis);--column-gap:var(--spacing-md);--row-gap:var(--spacing-md);--align-columns:start;\"><article class=\"entry entry-grid is-column has-entry-link has-image has-image-first type-post category-homeschool tag-international-cuisine tag-parenting tag-school\" style=\"--entry-index:1;\" aria-label=\"An exciting and fun way to explore cultures with your kids\"><a class=\"entry-image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/explore-cultures\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/an-exciting-and-fun-way-to-explore-cultures-with-your-kids-9-400x300.jpg\" class=\"entry-image size-landscape-sm\" alt=\"An exciting and fun way to explore cultures with your kids 8\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/an-exciting-and-fun-way-to-explore-cultures-with-your-kids-9-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/an-exciting-and-fun-way-to-explore-cultures-with-your-kids-9-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/an-exciting-and-fun-way-to-explore-cultures-with-your-kids-9-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/an-exciting-and-fun-way-to-explore-cultures-with-your-kids-9-1200x900.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width:599px) 599px, (min-width:600px) and (max-width: 799px) 799px, (min-width:800px) and (max-width: 999px) 333px, (min-width:1000px) 400px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"entry-wrap entry-wrap-grid\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a class=\"entry-title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/explore-cultures\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">An exciting and fun way to explore cultures with your kids<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"entry-more\"><a class=\"entry-more-link button button-secondary button-small\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/explore-cultures\/\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">An exciting and fun way to explore cultures with your kids<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/article><article class=\"entry entry-grid is-column has-entry-link has-image has-image-first type-post category-cookbook-club tag-cookbook tag-korean-cuisine tag-reviews\" style=\"--entry-index:2;\" aria-label=\"Maangchi's Big Book of Korean Cooking Cookbook Review\"><a class=\"entry-image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/maangchis-big-book-of-korean-cooking-cookbook-review\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/auto-draft-400x300.jpeg\" class=\"entry-image size-landscape-sm\" alt=\"Auto Draft\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/auto-draft-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/auto-draft-500x375.jpeg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width:599px) 599px, (min-width:600px) and (max-width: 799px) 799px, (min-width:800px) and (max-width: 999px) 333px, (min-width:1000px) 400px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"entry-wrap entry-wrap-grid\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a class=\"entry-title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/maangchis-big-book-of-korean-cooking-cookbook-review\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Maangchi's Big Book of Korean Cooking Cookbook Review<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"entry-more\"><a class=\"entry-more-link button button-secondary button-small\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/maangchis-big-book-of-korean-cooking-cookbook-review\/\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Maangchi's Big Book of Korean Cooking Cookbook Review<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/article><article class=\"entry entry-grid is-column has-entry-link has-image has-image-first type-post category-cooking category-dinner category-weight-loss tag-beef tag-korean-cuisine\" style=\"--entry-index:3;\" aria-label=\"Korean Lettuce Wraps\"><a class=\"entry-image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-lettuce-wraps\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-6-400x300.jpg\" class=\"entry-image size-landscape-sm\" alt=\"Korean Bulgogi Sauce Paleo Friendly 5\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-6-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-6-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-6-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-6-1200x900.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width:599px) 599px, (min-width:600px) and (max-width: 799px) 799px, (min-width:800px) and (max-width: 999px) 333px, (min-width:1000px) 400px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"entry-wrap entry-wrap-grid\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a class=\"entry-title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-lettuce-wraps\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Korean Lettuce Wraps<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"entry-more\"><a class=\"entry-more-link button button-secondary button-small\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-lettuce-wraps\/\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Korean Lettuce Wraps<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/article><article class=\"entry entry-grid is-column has-entry-link has-image has-image-first type-post category-cooking category-tips-and-techniques tag-cookbook tag-korean-cuisine tag-reviews\" style=\"--entry-index:4;\" aria-label=\"Korean BBQ by Bill Kim &#8211; Make all the Sauce\"><a class=\"entry-image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-bbq-by-bill-kim\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/korean-bbq-by-bill-kim-make-all-the-sauce-400x300.jpeg\" class=\"entry-image size-landscape-sm\" alt=\"Korean BBQ by Bill Kim - Make all the Sauce\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/korean-bbq-by-bill-kim-make-all-the-sauce-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/korean-bbq-by-bill-kim-make-all-the-sauce-500x375.jpeg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width:599px) 599px, (min-width:600px) and (max-width: 799px) 799px, (min-width:800px) and (max-width: 999px) 333px, (min-width:1000px) 400px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"entry-wrap entry-wrap-grid\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a class=\"entry-title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-bbq-by-bill-kim\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Korean BBQ by Bill Kim &#8211; Make all the Sauce<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"entry-more\"><a class=\"entry-more-link button button-secondary button-small\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-bbq-by-bill-kim\/\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Korean BBQ by Bill Kim &#8211; Make all the Sauce<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/article><article class=\"entry entry-grid is-column has-entry-link has-image has-image-first type-post category-cooking category-tips-and-techniques tag-cookbook tag-korean-cuisine tag-reviews\" style=\"--entry-index:5;\" aria-label=\"The Best Korean Cookbooks to Explore for Healthy Recipes\"><a class=\"entry-image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/best-korean-cookbooks\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/korean-cookbooks-400x300.jpeg\" class=\"entry-image size-landscape-sm\" alt=\"The Best Korean Cookbooks to Explore for Healthy Recipes 3\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/korean-cookbooks-400x300.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/korean-cookbooks-500x375.jpeg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width:599px) 599px, (min-width:600px) and (max-width: 799px) 799px, (min-width:800px) and (max-width: 999px) 333px, (min-width:1000px) 400px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"entry-wrap entry-wrap-grid\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a class=\"entry-title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/best-korean-cookbooks\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Best Korean Cookbooks to Explore for Healthy Recipes<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"entry-more\"><a class=\"entry-more-link button button-secondary button-small\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/best-korean-cookbooks\/\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The Best Korean Cookbooks to Explore for Healthy Recipes<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/article><article class=\"entry entry-grid is-column has-entry-link has-image has-image-first type-post category-condiments category-cooking tag-korean-cuisine tag-sugar-free\" style=\"--entry-index:6;\" aria-label=\"Korean Bulgogi Sauce &#8211; Paleo friendly and perfect for marinating or after cooking\"><a class=\"entry-image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-5-400x300.jpg\" class=\"entry-image size-landscape-sm\" alt=\"Korean Bulgogi Sauce Paleo Friendly 4\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-5-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-5-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-5-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly-5-1200x900.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width:599px) 599px, (min-width:600px) and (max-width: 799px) 799px, (min-width:800px) and (max-width: 999px) 333px, (min-width:1000px) 400px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"entry-wrap entry-wrap-grid\"><h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a class=\"entry-title-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Korean Bulgogi Sauce &#8211; Paleo friendly and perfect for marinating or after cooking<\/a><\/h3>\n<div class=\"entry-more\"><a class=\"entry-more-link button button-secondary button-small\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/korean-bulgogi-sauce-paleo-friendly\/\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Korean Bulgogi Sauce &#8211; Paleo friendly and perfect for marinating or after cooking<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:11px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We love to chat about food, won't you join us? In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/welcome-tom-cookbook-club\/\">A Tasty Bite Cookbook Club<\/a>, we explore a variety of recipes. Four cookbooks per year make the list. I announce these in three places. On the cookbook club page, in the Healthologist Community as well as the Facebook group.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preparing your favorite Korean dish is fun and rewarding, but first, let&#8217;s get some Korean pantry staples so you&#8217;ll have what you need. Korean food is one of the healthiest cuisines to explore. Vegetables star in many dishes. Fermentation is a popular method of preservation which means those dishes, such as kimchi, pack a nutrient-dense &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25607,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"mai_trending":17,"mai_views":147,"mai_views_updated":1769668455,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1121,1122],"tags":[14585,14583],"class_list":{"2":"type-post","7":"category-cooking","8":"category-tips-and-techniques","9":"tag-korean-cuisine","10":"tag-pantry","11":"entry"},"modified_by":"Rebecca Huff","acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25600"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27573,"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25600\/revisions\/27573"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thatorganicmom.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}