Korea

The cuisine of the Korean peninsula has created many interesting ways to take advantage of the ocean’s bounty. Seafood and maritime vegetation such as seaweed, kelp, and algae can be found on many tables. An anchovy extract, comparable to the Southeast Asian fish sauce, is an all-purpose seasoning almost as common as soy sauce. A unique aspect of Korea, compared to other northeast Asian cuisines, is the popularity of hot red chiles. Mostly used dried and omnipresent in every pantry, they are used to add a significant punch to stews, soups, salads, and, of course, kimchi, the ubiquitous spicy fermented vegetable accompanying every meal from breakfast to dinner. A popular Korean tableside condiment and cooking ingredient is koju jiang or gochujang. Made from red chiles, fermented rice, and soybeans, its status on Korean tables can be compared to the popularity of ketchup in the United States.