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한식hansik · Korean food

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Korean food guide

Gochujang, kimchi, ramyeon and the jars every Korean kitchen leans on. Start with the pantry basics, then see what to pick from our shelves and how to cook with it.

1. Explore

Discover the cuisine and where to find it in our stores

2. Buy

What to pick from the shelves and why

3. Cook

Simple ways to use what you bought

Start here

START HERE · 3 MIN READ

Your first Korean pantry: 7 things to buy

Seven staples that cover most everyday Korean home cooking, what each one does, and a recipe to try with it.

Read the guide

All guides

BUY · 3 MIN READ

Kimchi: types and how to use it

BUY · 3 MIN READ

Gochujang vs doenjang vs ssamjang: what’s the difference?

BUY · 3 MIN READ

Korean noodles and ramyeon: a beginner’s guide

Food and culture

Banchan are for sharing

Rice and soup are your own, but the small side dishes (banchan) go in the middle of the table for everyone. In Korean restaurants they are usually refilled for free.

Kimjang: making kimchi together

Every late autumn, families and neighbours get together to make a winter’s supply of kimchi. Kimjang is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.

Tteokguk for the new year

At Seollal (Lunar New Year) families eat tteokguk, a soup of sliced rice cakes. It is said you are a year older once you have had your bowl.

At the table

Wait for the oldest person at the table to start eating.
Use a spoon for rice and soup, and chopsticks for banchan.
Don’t stand chopsticks upright in rice: it is linked to rites for the dead.
Pour drinks for others, not yourself. With elders, hold the bottle or glass with two hands.

Before and after the meal

잘 먹겠습니다jal meokgesseumnida“I will eat well”: said before a meal

잘 먹었습니다jal meogeosseumnida“I ate well”: said after, to thank the cook or host

Taste of the regions

JeonjuBibimbap

ChuncheonDakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken)

AndongJjimdak (braised chicken and glass noodles)

BusanDwaeji gukbap (pork and rice soup)

JejuBlack pork barbecue

Obangsaek: the five traditional colours (blue, red, yellow, white and black) you see on palace eaves and festive clothes.

Say it right

Five words you’ll see on the shelves, with how to say them.

Gochujang고추장Sweet-hot red chilli paste“go-choo-jang”

Gochugaru고춧가루Korean chilli flakes“go-choo-ga-roo”

Doenjang된장Savoury soybean paste“dwen-jang”

Tteok떡Chewy rice cakes“dduck”

Banchan반찬Small side dishes“ban-chan”