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Dictionary of Korean Foods and Terms

A Note About This Dictionary - The "American English" spelling of many Korean words in this dictionary is from common "Americanized" pronunciations(mis-pronunciations), not the accepted Romanized spelling.

This is a work in progress and is not an all inclusive reference.



A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Aejeojjim (애저찜 ) - Stuffed Piglet
Two-month old piglet stuffed with sticky rice, chestnuts, jujubes (Korean dates), garlic, green onions, ginger, and walnuts which is then simmered for a several hours.

Agwi 아귀/아구- Monkfish/Angler Fish (agui, agwee/agu)
A popular fish used in many soups and braises. Also served grilled or fried.

Anchovy Sauce
A sauce made from Anchovy extract. Other ingredients, depending on brand and type, may include soy sauce, wheat, salt, vinegar, corn syrup, and or fructose. Used in a variety of Korean recipes.

Angler Fish (Monkfish) 아귀/아구(agwi, agui/agu)
A popular fish used in many soups and braises. Also served grilled or fried.

Anju
Side dishes that accompany alchoholic beverages. Almost any Korean dish may be served as anju.


B

Baekju (baechu, baekchu)
See Napa Cabbage.

Bap (Bop)
Cooked rice.

Ban chan
An assortment of meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes served with Korean meals. Ban chan is made up of namul (seasoned vegetable dishes), kimchi (fermented vegetables), jorim (simmered foods), jjim (steamed foods), and jeon (pan fried foods in batter).

Bindaetteok
A Korean pan fried pancake using groung mung beans as a base. (Haemul bindaetteok - seafood mung bean pancake)

Bokkum Bop(bokkum bap)
Fried Rice. Usually a medium or short grained white rice boiled or steamed, then stir fried with a variety of meats and vegetables.

Buchimgae
A term for Korean pan fried pancake (Ojingeo buchimgae -Squid pancake/Kimchi buchimgae - kimchi pancake)

Budae jjigae (Base stew)
A spicy stew made from processed meats like canned ham (Spam) and hot dogs, noodles, and vegetables.
During and after the Korean War, meat was scarce in Korea. People who lived near U. S. Military bases sarted using surplus foods like spam and hot dogs from the bases and mixing it into a traditional spicy soup. This budae jjigae is still popular in South Korea, and the dish often includes more modern ingredients like ramen noodles.

Bulgogi (불고기) (recipe link)
Literally "Fire Meat", bulgogi is marinated meat. Usually refers to marinated beef, but can be used for any meat. Adding a prefix to bulgogi specifies the type of meat. So bulgogi = Beef bulgogi, Dak bulgogi = Chicken bulgogi, dwaeggi(taegee) bulgogi = Pork bulgogi.

C

Cabbage Leaf (steamed) and Rice Wrap (Yang baechu Ssam bap)
Steamed white rice, kochujang, and dipping sauce (ssam jang). Often with some type of sliced, minced, or shredded meat/seafood.

Cellophane Noodle (Clear Noodle)
Any of a variety of Asian rice or starch noodle. In Korean cooking usually refers to transparent noodle made from sweet potato starch. Used in soups, mandu, and stir fry.

Chajangmyeon (Jajangmyeon)
A Korean version of a popular Chinese noodle dish made with a black bean sauce, meat, and chopped vegetables including zucchini and potatoes.

Chiggae (jjigae, chige)
Spicy soup, thick and almost stew like. Usually served boiling in a hot stone bowl.

Chili Powder
Pure red chili, dried and ground into powder. Sold as very fine, fine, medium, and coarse grinds. This powder is usually very hot. Do not substitute the mexican style chili powder in Korean recipes calling for red chili powder.


Chop Che (chap che, jap jae, japjae, japchae) (recipe link)
Stir fried Korean vermicelli (sweet potato starch noodle). Usually served cold or at room temperature in Korean households, or warm to hot in restaurants.

D

Daechu (Chinese Jujube)
Chinese red dates. Used as an ingredient in soups and beverages.

Daikon[Die con] Radish
A large Asian radish with a sweet, fresh flavor. When choosing Daikon, look for those that are firm with little or no wrinkling of the skin. May be refrigerated for up to a week wrapped in a paper towel and plastic wrap. Used in salads, soups, stir fry, casseroles, etc. Usually sold as whole root.

Dak-Nalgae
Spicy Korean fried chicken wings

Dangmyeon
A semi transparent noodle made from sweet potato starch used in Jap Jae and various stews and soups.

Dashima (Kombu)
Edible kelp. Usually sold dried or in a dried shred. Often used to make a soup stock.

Deodeok-gui (더덕구이)
Grilled toduk root. Todok is a mountain herb with restorative properties. Peeled and pounded, then seasoned with red pepper sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Grilled over a medium heat.

Doenjang Chiggae(Doenjang jjigae)
Soybean paste soup, made with fermented soy bean paste, a variety of vegetables, tofu, and seafood (small mussels, shrimp and/or large anchovies). Normally served as a shared main dish or a personnel dish served with a meat dish.

Dotorimuk
Acorn Jelly. A popular side dish or snack usually topped with a seasoned sauce.

E

F

Fish Cake (Odang)
A mixture of different fish meat (primarily Pollack), wheat flour, and soy bean oil. Baked or fried into round balls or flat cakes. The ball type of fish cake may be used in soups, as a snack, or as a side dish. The flat cakes are usually cut into small strips and may be used as an ingredient in different dishes such as Kim Bop or Ddok Bo Ki, or served as a side dish.

Fusion Foods
The melding of two or more distinct food cultures to create a unique dish.

G

Ganjang (gan jang)
Soy sauce.

Ggakdugi (깍두기)
Cubed radish kimchi made from Daikon radish.

Ginger
A plant native to South East Asia. The Rhizome, or underground stem, of the ginger plant is most commonly used as a seasoning. Also used as an herbal supplement in many asian herbal remedies. Its uses in cooking include baking, candies, salads, soups, sauces, and liqueurs. Sold as fresh root, ground powder, or pickled root/slices.

Gogi
Meat. Adding a prefix specifies the type of meat. So gogi = beef, dwaeggi(taegee) gogi = pork, dak gogi = chicken.

H

Haemul
Seafood. Usually used as a prefix for a type of food dish.

Haemul ja jam myung
Seafood and noodles in black bean sauce.

Haemul JJeongol
Seafood stew usually served boiling in a hot stone bowl.

Haemul paejeon
Seafood pancake.

Hongeohoe (Hongeohwe)
Spicy Raw Flying Fish

Hotteok
Similar to a pancake with syrup as a filling instead of poured over the cake. Common fillings are melted brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts, or honey.

Hwangtae-gui (황태구이)
Seasoned and grilled yellow pollack. Seasoned with salt, pepper, rice flour, and sesame oil.


I

J

Jang
Seasoning, or a type of seasoning as in doeng jang (soybean paste) or gan jang (soy sauce).

Jangeo-gui (장어구이)
Broiled eel. Sliced lengthways and de-boned, then seasoned with sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sugar. The strips are then broiled

Jangsanjeok
Small simmered meat patties in teriyaki like sauce. Served as a snack or as one of a Ban chan array.

Japchae (chop che, chap che, jap jae, japjae, japchae)
Stir fried Korean vermicelli (sweet potato starch noodle). Usually served cold or at room temperature in Korean households, or warm to hot in restaurants.

Jeongol
A thick, spicy stew. May be made from beef tripe as gopjon jeongol, or various seafood ingredients and vegetables.

Jin Mandu (recipe link)
Steamed Korean dumpling. See Mandu.

K

Kai Bi (kal bi, gal bi, gai bi)(갈비구이)
Short sections of marinated meat ribs, usually referring to beef ribs.  Grilled over charcoal or gas grill and normally served as a shared dish.  Adding a prefix specifies the type of meat - sogogi galbi = beef ribs, dwaeggi(taegee) gogi galbi = pork ribs, dak gogi galbi = chicken ribs. There are two main styles of galbi; traditional - individual ribs cut in 1 to 1 1/2 inch sections with the meat sliced thinly around but still attached to the bone, and L. A. galbi - three or four ribs cut in a cross rib or flanken cut, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.

Kimchi (gimchi, kimchee) (recipe link)
A traditional Korean fermented dish made of seasoned vegetables and is the most common ban chan dish. There are a great many varieties of kimchi made from a wide range of vegetables. Most kimchi is spicy, but there are many non-spicy varieties. The most common form of kimchi is made with Napa Cabbage (baechu kimchi). Other common types are Daikon Radish kimchi (kkakdugi), cucumber kimchi (oh-ee so-bae-gi).

Kimchi Chiggae (kimchi jjigae) (recipe link)
A thick spicy soup made with kimchi, pork or other meat/seafood, and vegetables. Usually served boiling in a hot stone bowl.

Kochujang (gochujang)
A spicy Korean condiment, made from glutinous rice powder mixed with powdered fermented soybeans, red chili powder, and salt, and fermented, traditionally in the sun. Other grains can be substituted for the glutinous rice, including normal rice, wheat, and barley. A small amount of sweetener, such as sugar, syrup, or honey is also sometimes added. It is a dark, reddish paste with a rich, spicy flavour. From: Wikipedia


L

Laver
A pressed and dried seaweed much like Japanese Nori, and used in the same way.

M

Makgeolli
A type fermented rice alchohol, very milky in color.

Mandu (recipe link)
Korean style dumpling stuffed with meat, meat and vegetable, or vegetable. May be served fried (yaki mandu) or steamed (jin mandu) as a snack or appetizer, or used in soups.

Mook
Acorn starch. Mostly used in Korean cooking to make a brown, lightly flavored "jello" like dish. Served with flavored sauce.

N

Namul
An assortment of fresh and pickled edible wild vegetable dishes that accompany a Korean meal.

Napa Cabbage
Also known as celery cabbage or Chinese cabbage, it has a long shape and closely packed broad, pale green leaves with wide white stems. Used to make several varieties of kimchi, in soups, as wraps for various seasoned meats, etc.

Nashi Pear (Asian Pear)
A lightly sweet crisp grainy pear grown in Korea, Japan, and China. Most often given as gifts or used (in blended or mashed form) as a sauce or marinade ingredient. Also known as Asian pear, sand pear, Korean pear, Japanese pear, Chinese pear, bapple, or papple.

Nokdu bindaetteok
Mung bean pancake with meat and vegetables.

O

Odang (Fish cake)
A mixture of different fish meat (primarily Pollack), wheat flour, and soy bean oil. Baked or fried into round balls or flat cakes. The ball type of fish cake may be used in soups, as a snack, or as a side dish. The flat cakes are usually cut into small strips and may be used as an ingredient in different dishes such as Kim Bop or Ddok Bo Ki, or served as a side dish.

Ojingo (Ojeongo, Ojeomo)
Squid or cuttlefish.


Ojingohoe (Ojingohwe)
Spicy Raw Squid

Ojingo Bokkum
Spicy stir fried Squid(Cuttlefish).

P

Pajeon
Green onion or scallion pancake.

Pyô
Unharvested rice. Rice in the field. Un-husked rice.

Q

R

Red Chili Powder
Pure red chili, dried and ground into powder. Sold as very fine, fine, medium, and coarse grinds. This powder is usually very hot. Do not substitute the mexican style chili powder in Korean recipes calling for red chili powder.


S

Saengseonjeon
Small fish fillets coated in an egg and flour mixture, then pan fried.

Ssal
Uncooked, husked rice.

Ssam
Food wrapped in edible leaves or wet leafy seaweed.

Sogogi Dashida
A powdered beef soup stock used in many Korean recipes.

Stuffed Piglet - aejeojjim  (애저찜 )
Two-month old piglet stuffed with sticky rice, chestnuts, jujubes (Korean dates), garlic, green onions, ginger, and walnuts which is then simmered for a several hours.

Suntubu Chiggae (Suntubu jjigae, soontubu chigae, suntofu jjigae)
A thick, spicy soup made from suntubu (soft tofu), kimchi, pork, and vegetables.

T

Takju
A type of alchoholic drink made from fermented rice.


U

V

W

X

Y

Yangbaechu Ssambap
Steamed Cabbage leaves and rice wraps. Steamed white rice, kochujang, and dipping sauce (ssamjang). Often with some type of minced or shredded meat/seafood.

Yang Gobchang-Gui
Broiled beef tripe and chitterlings. Cleaned fresh chitterlings and tripe, cut and seasoned with a mixture of oil and red pepper sauce. Broiled on a hot oiled grill with garlic and onions.

Yaki Mandu (recipe link)
Deep Fried Korean dumpling. See Mandu.

Z

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