Emily Kim aka Maangchi Demystifies
The Korean Grocery Store
Yesterday, I was debating on whether I should posts a blog on necessary mobile applications while traveling Korea. The alternative was posting a business startup checklist I created. While I was being indecisive I did what I always do, I researched on the internet what has already been covered. After finding different articles and blog posts I wondered if I could add anything new to the conversation?
The result of this indecisiveness, I didn’t post a blog. However, I did want to keep to the schedule of posting 3x a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, even if this post is a little late.
I thought I would share another blog posts that provide great resources and correlates with my previous blog Life In Korea. The website is called “Maangchi,” Emily Kim cooks authentic Korean recipes that she learned from her mother while growing up in Korea. The blog she posted, “How To Shop At A Korean Grocery Store” is a four-part YouTube video that assists shoppers with navigating a Korean Grocery store.
Download the Korean Convenience app and find Korean chips, cookies, and snack with English and Hangul brand names, allergen and ingredient information.
Available for free on iOS and Android
Part One
Part one of the series: Rice and Produce, where she offers helpful tips on the correct rice to purchase whether you’re making bibimbap or cooking a stew. The second video Soy Sauces, Pastes, and Spices is my personal favorite. Since I have a shellfish allergy I definitely needed to watch this video to help with the confusion of Gochujang a Korean spicy dipping sauce.
Third Video
The third video in the series Noodles, Powders, Grains, Beans & Seaweed offers helpful tips on purchasing products at the grocery store. Some of the tips I learned, checking the color of powders and sauces (containers should have one uniform color, with no discoloration), and how to read the back of food packages to check the level of spiciness and when the product expires.
The fourth and final video; The Frozen Section, Dried & Fermented Seafood, Rice Cakes, Tofu & Kitchenware covers a wide range of topics. I found the section on cooking with Tofu and the recipes she tagged in the video extremely helpful. I plan on cooking the recipe for rice cake soup for the upcoming Seollal holiday.
Final Thoughts
I want to highlight a contributor to Korean cuisine for any of the readers who are not already a part of her 2 million-plus subscribers on YouTube. The website has provided great resources for anyone, like me, who felt completely overwhelmed with the thought of walking into a Korean grocery store.
Lastly, I could have focused on her informative step-by-step recipes or cookbook, yet I want to mention another reason to check out her website; the Global Grocery Shopping Directory her community has compiled. Now, there’s no reason not to try cooking your favorite dish you enjoy at your local Korean BBQ (my favorite in L.A. is Hae Jang Chon) restaurant.
I hope you enjoyed this blog where I highlighted a website that I have found to be a great resource for understanding Korean cuisine.
If you want to read about my life abroad in South Korea and more about Korean food check out:
Would love to hear your thoughts, should I continue posting highlights I have found helpful with Korean cuisine, beauty, language, and culture?
