Korean Grocery Staples You Need To Cook Ramen, Tteokbokki, And More

Over the last few years, Korean food has become a great obsession in India. Whether it's watching K-dramas with a hot bowl of ramen and instant noodles or preparing fried rice with tangy kimchi, these recipes feel comforting, delicious, and just right for winter. And the best part? You don't have to go on a hunt for expensive restaurants anymore. With the right pantry staples, you can recreate favourites like bibimbap, tteokbokki, and kimbap. Here are the top five Korean grocery staples to achieve the authentic flavour at home.

Cook your favourite K-drama recipes with these Korean grocery staples; Photo Credit: Copilot

If the cold wind is making you crave something spicy and comforting, these Korean grocery staples can help you out. They offer an umami-rich flavour, provide a great taste, and help recreate recipes with minimal effort for rainy day snacking. Be it tangy-spicy kimchi or nutty sesame oil, here's what you need to make every Korean food recreation closer to the real thing.

Also Read: Desi Chinese At Home? Get Up To 55% Discounts On Noodles And Pasta On Flipkart

Korean Grocery Staples You Need To Try

1. MOI SOI Korean Noodle Spicy Sauce

If you like eating hot, soupy noodles in winter but hate the long process of making sauce, this Korean grocery staple is right for you. It is a spicy noodle sauce made with 0% oil and flavourful ingredients. Easy to incorporate into instant ramen, stir‑fried noodles, and fried rice, this sauce adds a punch of spice to your liking. 

Key Features

• Easy to secure the cap and reuse
• Boosts the flavour of various recipes
• Easy to use in rice, noodles, tteokbokki, and other foods
• Boasts a zero-oil formula
• Doesn't need extra prepping

2. UMAI Gold Premium Nori Seaweed

If you love eating kimbap, this pack of nori seaweed is going to be your next favourite grocery item. It is a pack of 10 roasted seaweed sheets that can be used to make sushi rolls or sprinkled on soups, hot rice, and even salads. These seaweed sheets offer a rich umami flavour with a subtly sweet undertone. They are crunchy, tasty, and perfect for various Korean and Japanese recipes.

Key Features

• 100% natural seaweed
• Adds an umami-rich flavour
• Can be used in soups, rice, noodles, and other foods
• Offers a crispy texture
• Can be used in seafood recipes

3. Tata Simply Better Cold Pressed Sesame Oil

The next Korean grocery staple you can buy from Flipkart is this cold-pressed sesame oil. It boasts a 100% pure, unrefined formula made with only A1-grade sesame seeds. Loved for its nutty aroma and dense taste, sesame oil is easy to use in seasoning and marinades for meat and vegetables.

Key Features

• Contains natural antioxidants for good health
• Comes in a unique anti-spill bottle
• Provides a kick of aroma and flavour
• Can be used to fry, sizzle, saute, or drizzle 
• Suitable for Indian and Korean recipes

4. Yokoso Gochujang Optima Hot Pepper Paste

Let's be honest, every Korean recipe feels incomplete without gochujang paste. Be it tteokbokki, ramen, or home-made kimchi, this spicy chilly paste is useful for every food preference. Apart from a spicy kick, gochujang paste adds a rich umami flavour to recipes. It is easy to dissolve and lets you adjust the spice level to your liking. 

Key Features

• Offers the authentic spicy flavour
• Can be used in cooking and seasoning
• Suitable for vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes
• Adds a spicy and umami-rich flavour
• Easy to adjust the spice level

5. Hands on Tummy Kimchi Factory - Red Kimchi

Bring home the authentic taste of Korea with this red kimchi from Flipkart. Known for its signature tangy-spicy flavour, this red kimchi works great as a topping, side dish, and seasoning. It can be used to recreate Korean recipes at home or give Indian food a spicy and tangy side dish. The best part? It adds prebiotics and probiotics to your food.

Key Features

• Offers a pungent smell and delicious taste
• Made with the finest quality of nappa cabbage and other ingredients
• Ideal for ramen, fried rice, and other recipes
• Offers a tangy and mildly spicy flavour
• Comes in a reusable glass jar

If you want to cook something new this weekend, these Korean grocery staples can help you out. From ramen and fried rice to seaweed rolls, these ingredients are versatile for various recipes. They offer the authentic taste and lip-smacking fragrance that make every recipe more comforting and satisfying. Ready to bring the Korean flavour to your home? Shop now on Flipkart.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are common Korean grocery items?

Some Korean grocery items that can help you recreate recipes are gochujang, fish sauce, sesame oil, and kimchi. 

2. What dishes are best suited for gochujang?

You can use gochujang to make bibimbap, bibimbap, and to make your instant ramen more spicy and flavourful.

3. What is the best way to eat kimchi?

The best way to eat kimchi is to use it as a side dish or as seasoning for your fried rice. 

4. What do you do with nori seaweed?

Nori seaweed is an essential ingredient in certain Korean recipes. You can use it to make bibimbap and kimbap. Other ways to eat nori seaweed are to sprinkle it over rice, soup, and ramen.

5. Can you fry eggs with sesame oil?

Yes, you can fry eggs with sesame oil. The trick is to go for cold-pressed options to get the same nutty flavour and fragrance with additional health benefits.