Fermented foods are becoming increasingly popular around the world all the time as more people learn about the health benefits. Korean food has a long-standing tradition of including multiple fermented dishes and ingredients.
Because of Korea’s unique geography, topography, and location, it is relatively isolated from other countries nearby. This has allowed for the uniqueness of its culture and, also, its food. Korean food is distinct and, because of its harsh weather and wide seasonal variation, fermentation was vital in helping its population preserve food to be eaten in cold winter months when fresh vegetables were difficult to grow.
During the warmer months, farmers were able to grow and harvest bountiful harvests of certain grains and vegetables which were then fermented since there were no refrigeration options available. This ensured survival during the cold months.
Adding to this practical preservation method, Koreans discovered that eating multiple fermented foods often facilitated multiple health benefits. Since those discoveries, fermented foods have become an integral part of Korean cuisine.
Another reason that fermented foods have become so popular in Korea is that fermentation significantly enhances the flavor of foods that may otherwise be considered bland. It also increases the complexity and adds umami (the fifth taste sense humans are able to detect besides saltiness, sourness, sweetness, and bitterness). Over time, Koreans grew to love the flavor of fermented foods.
Religion and culture also played a significant part in the development of fermented foods. Buddhism influenced the cuisine because Buddhist monks adhere to a plant-based diet and needed to find a method to preserve vegetables and soy in order to have a steady supply of food.
Over centuries, the preparation of fermented foods became intricately woven into Korean culture. For example, ‘Kimjang’ is the act of families and the community members coming together each year to prepare kimchi for the winter, and this family tradition still exists today.
Lastly, the type of produce that grows well in Korea such as cabbage, soy, radish, beans, grains, etc, lend themselves to fermentation and they can be used in so many ways from kimchi to soy sauce to pastes and side dishes (banchan).
9 Traditional Fermented Korean Foods
- Kimchi is the most famous of all Korean fermented foods and consists of various kinds of fermented vegetables. The most common types of kimchi are pickled Napa cabbage and pickled radish, also called kkakdugi. Both are salted and flavored with chili powder or paste, salt, garlic, ginger, green onions, etc. They may not be traditionally vegan but can easily be made without the fish sauce, salted shrimp, and anchovies that are sometimes used. Other vegetables that are used in kimchi are cucumbers, eggplant, burdock root, celery, etc. Kimchi is typically fermented by the wild cultures or bacteria that are naturally present in the vegetables used.
Some of our favorite recipes for vegan kimchi, including one that uses radish and another using cucumbers:
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/chaesik-kimchi
https://thekoreanvegan.com/the-best-easy-vegan-kimchi-recipe/
https://vegetarianglobe.com/all-recipes/vegan-radish-kimchi/
https://seonkyounglongest.com/vegan-cucumber-kimchi/
- Doenjang: A fermented soybean paste that is somewhat similar to Japanese miso but with a more robust flavor. Doenjang is most commonly used as a base for sauces, stews, and soups. It is an indispensable ingredient in authentic Korean cooking.
- Gochujang: This is a fermented red chili pepper paste made from chilies, glutinous or sweet rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It has a beautiful deep red color and is used in so many Korean dishes and is a must for any Korean home cook. Some of the dishes it is used in is bibimbap, soondubu jjigae, tteokbokki, etc.
- Makgeolli: A traditional rice Korean rice wine that is most often fizzy and sweet. It is made by fermenting rice and nuruk, a Korean fermentation starter used to brew multiple Korean alcoholic beverages.
- Cheonggukjang: A pungent, strong-tasting fermented soybean paste made from both whole and ground-up soy beans. It is often used in stew or jjigae.
- Nokdujang: Nokdu refers to mung beans and nokdujang is a fermented paste made from mung beans. It is often used as a condiment or used in making savory pancakes (recipe: https://vegan8korean.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/vegan-nokdu-jon-mungbean-pancake-recipe/)
- Sikhye: A fermented sweet or glutinous rice drink or punch that is mostly commonly served as a dessert (recipe: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/sikhye)
- Ganjang: This is korean soy sauce, an integral part of korean cuisine. It is made from fermented soy beans and is used in a wide array of dishes. It is used as a salting and flavoring agent.
- Meju: This refers to blocks of fermented soy beans. It is not normally consumed on its own and, instead, is used as base for other finished food products such as ganjang, gochujang, and doenjang.
These are just some of the fermented foods eaten in Korea and there are many others. Like Japan, Korea has a rich history when it comes to preparing and consuming fermented foods, and many of these are becoming more popular and sought after around the world.