Do you Need Special Equipment for Korean Recipes?

Making Korean cuisine at home may be an intimidating prospect first. But, if you know how to sear your meat and saute vegetables with the harmony of flavors, you could go all in to prepare a Korean feast yourself.

With hopping on flights to Seoul being no option and restaurants being expensive, you can create your favorite Koreatown cuisine with the correct pantry and equipment. While we all look to stock ingredients and books, many forget kitchen essentials to make it happen. With that said, let us check the essential cooking equipment for Korean recipes, or check JikoniTaste for more information about Cooking Equipments!

You may have some of them already.

1. Pressure Rice Cooker

The importance of rice in Korean cuisine remains unrivaled. It is hard to overstate it as Koreans interchangeably use rice and meal in everyday conversations. With rice being a staple in Korean meals, people give utmost attention to its consistency and quality. Therefore, to ensure you achieve the essence they exhibit every day, you need a pressure rice cooker. There are multiple available today. Get the rice cooker that suits your requirements the best. 

We agree that rice cookers are pricey. However, they have a long life when used well. Hence, one can think of these tools as an investment. Furthermore, rice is not just for Korean cuisines. You can use it in your everyday life.

2. Rice Paddle

Put away your wooden spatulas and metal spoons for rice cooking. Use a specialized Korean rice paddle to flip your grains well. With a traditional one, you can prevent your grains from breaking apart. You can keep clumps at bay and prevent any sticking when scooping or flipping. When we say flipping, we mean using the end of the paddle cutting into your fluffy grain ball without any squishing. Do not forget to flip through: you need it for a final touch and plating.

3. Korean Mortar and Pestle

Garlic is ubiquitous in Korean cuisines and other dishes. But it can be tough to prep, no matter how you slice it from mincing, smashing, and chopping. Hence, a tool to get done with it is worth a shot. It will help you save time and energy, especially when you have tens or twenty cloves on your cutting board. You will also need this tool for grinding spices and herbs.

We highly recommend the Korean mortar and pestle. With a combination of the rigid and rough mortar and a granite pestle, this tool uses friction to break down garlic. You no longer have to eat those pesky chunks. 

4. Vegetable Slicers or Mandolin

The big secret to successful Korean side dishes and Kimchi is a rightly julienned radish. Mind you. These are not those pinky red ones. We are talking about the large radishes. For perfect slicing, a radish slicer with adjustable multi-blade mandolines. You can slice all kinds of vegetables with it because it is the little things that matter in Koreatown. 

5. Dolsot (Stone bowls) and Ddukbaegi (Earthenware Pots)

Koren stone bowls are the epitome of versatility. From being handy on open flames to inside ovens or microwaves and even under the broiler, they are right anywhere you can think of heating your food. The best part is you can eat directly in it once your food is ready. It does not let your food cool down quickly. Hence, if you are a slow eater, here is a friend for your mealtime. 

These bowls are of natural stone and ceramic. We usually use these for soup and stews. For serving rice and grains, we have dolsot on the other hand. The cherry on top? They are dishwasher-friendly! 

6. Rubber Gloves (Pink!)

Rubber gloves are ideal forever cuisine preparation from Kimchi to side dishes. They help you workaround without having to worry about cuts or your hands going dull. Given their low cost, you can easily have several pairs on hand. And yes, make sure they are pink. 

7. Sesame Seed Grinder

Korean kitchens are incomplete with a sesame seed grinder. Sesame seed and oil are essential pantry ingredients in Korean dishes. Its flavor profile is a major one in many meals because of its nuttiness and. Sesame seed grinders are just like pepper grinders. You add roasted sesame seeds and crack them for your dishes. From salads to soups and stews and even ice creams, you name it. The good thing is sesame seed grinders are also very cheap. 

8. Kimchi Containers

 

Kimchi is a staple food in Korean households. Although it is a perfect harmony of flavors, it has an odor. This odor is a trade-off for its flavors. To manage the stink and preserve of Kimchi, you require proper kimchi containers. There are several types of Kimchi and containers.

9. Cooking Scissors

Cooking scissors is a cheap, effective, and fast way of cutting through your meat, vegetables, noodles, and more. Since K-food has all healthy ingredients small, a pair of cooking scissors in your kitchen tools is a great idea. 

10. Mixing Bowls

As k-food is known for its intense flavors, you need to make lots of sauces and spicy pastes. Hence, having a set of mixing bowls is helpful. You can put your ingredients well in concentration. The bowls let you marinate your meat, mix japchae noodles well, have your kimchi slaw, and do lots of mixings. We recommend going for stainless steel as it is easy to clean. The food smell also wears off quickly compared to plastic. 

The Takeaway

With these ten Korean kitchens’ essential equipment, you can nail almost all Korean cuisines with the right ingredients and recipes. Look for an assortment of cookbooks with a guide of introduction to Korean cooking for a perfect start. Check some more Korean cookware and cutlery

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