While you can buy kimchi in most stores these days, this is the first hot sauce that captures its vibrant flavors in a versatile condiment. This vibrantly red hot sauce showcases the fruity, friendly heat of aromatic gochugaru chile flakes grown in China that are the base of many kimchi pastes, but focuses on fresh flavors over fermented funk. Fresh-pressed ginger juice adds a sweet-spicy brightness, while the acidity and fruitiness of the lime helps the fruity chili flavor to pop. But Neither overpower the actual chili flavor. And a hint of garlic adds the perfect base note to keep everything grounded.

These clever tablets manage to contain an incredible amount of flavor in a dime-sized package. The primary flavors are a rich roasted fish and a hint of seaweed, though it’s not as briny as homemade dashi. The tablets yield a meaty broth that really does give you the character of traditional stocks, with plenty of alliums, celery and sweet-earthy carrots. Compared to other fish stock products, this one is much more robust, with a roasted fish flavor that stands out from the pack. The other ingredients give it incredible depth, and it never tips into that dreaded “fishy” realm like some concentrated fish products. Because they are so compacted, these tablets need heat to properly dissolve—just throw them directly into your cooking pot.

While not a “balsamic” in the way that you’d think, this luscious vinegar has a golden orange hue and decadent, nectar-like consistency. It’s made with just two simple ingredients—tangerine and traditional yeast—yet is complex in flavor. Tangerines are picked fresh from Jeju Island in South Korea and fermented using traditional methods. The vinegar is refreshingly citrusy, with a light effervescence and sweetness. And while it’s lovely in marinades and salads, we recommend adding a splash to plain seltzer water to truly let the flavor shine on its own—it’s that good.

The perfect everyday doenjang. While we carry a premium, top-shelf brand of this essential Korean ingredient (with a price to match), this robustly flavorful version is our favorite for more frequent use or if you’re just starting out cooking Korean cuisine. Its distinct nuttiness and rice wine-like sweetness are what sets it apart from similar brands—plus, it’s crafted from organic Korean soybeans. This incredible paste is rich and thick, punctuated with toothsome bits of soybean that give it a pleasant texture. This ticks all the boxes for what makes doenjang so delicious and versatile—it’s salty and savory, with an earthy sweetness—but it reads as far more complex and nuanced than many we’ve tasted. It's almost the same umami nuttiness of a top-quality Parmesan or cheddar.

Gochujang is a Korean hot pepper paste that has a savoriness similar to Japanese miso and is fermented with glutinous rice, which gives it a slightly sticky texture and subtle sweetness. It’s a real powerhouse ingredient that we’ve come to rely on and consider an essential element of the Milk Street pantry. Chung Jung One's version has an approachable, mild heat level for adding to everything from tofu stew to barbecue meats.

This traditional earthenware bowl (or ddukbaegi) is incredibly multifunctional, used in Korean cooking for simmering stews or making dolsot bibimbap, a popular sizzling rice dish. Safe for stovetop, microwave and oven use, the cookware is made from fine, porous clay that retains heat well but doesn't absorb soaps, chemicals or any off-flavors—plus, it doesn't require seasoning before first use. Korean stoneware has such excellent heat retention that the bowl is actually meant to double as a serving dish, since it keeps food warm as you're eating. A matching lid and heat-insulating trivet with handles make for easy transport to the table, while the double-fired glaze looks sleek and elegant.

We love this finely ground Gochugaru Powder, which has a bright aroma similar to cayenne and can be used as a milder alternative to hot paprika. Made from sun-dried and deseeded Korean hot peppers, gochugaru is essential for Korean staples like kimchi and the hot pepper paste gochujang, not to mention a wide array of marinades, stews and side dishes. Its fruity, earthy flavor and approachable medium heat make it well rounded and adaptable to all manner of recipes in place of store-bought chili powder or chili flakes.

Made from sun-dried and deseeded Korean hot peppers, gochugaru is essential for Korean staples like kimchi and the hot pepper paste gochujang, not to mention a wide array of marinades, stews and side dishes. Its fruity, earthy flavor and approachable medium heat make it well rounded and adaptable to all manner of recipes in place of store-bought chili powder or chili flakes. These coarsely ground Gochugaru Flakes have a crunchy—not papery—texture and earthy flavor that's perfect for garnishing; try substituting them for regular hot pepper flakes.

This fermented soybean paste is made by steeping barley in water for 10 hours before it’s steamed, mixed with soy beans and aged for three years in earthenware pots exposed to the changing seasons. The resulting paste is rich in umami, with a deep nutty-cocoa powder-like taste and incredible clean, clear savory flavor. The thick paste is punctuated with tender flecks of soy or barley grains and has a creamy, yet firm character. It’s a relative of Japanese miso, as both are fermented soybean pastes, but miso is made with koji and rice, which results in more sweetness and an overall lighter character (while still being umami-rich and salty). Doenjang is generally just salt and soy (this one includes barley), which yields a deeper and more intense flavor that we love.

Made from chili pepper, sweet rice, malt and malt syrup and fermented for at least six months months in traditional crocks, Gochujang is basically a household name at this point. You can buy (crappy) bottles and jars of it at Walmart. But the important thing is to differentiate between the cheap, mass-produced versions and these top-quality versions. While most gochujangs on the market are thick, but will drip off your spoon, this one is more like a glossy ganache—spreadable and scoopable, yet decadently thick. It's clean and complex—a wonderful fruity chili flavor is the star, while it's rounded out with funky fermentation notes and a pleasant tingly heat. There's also a hint of effervescence akin to sake, or even a sparkling wine. Its sweetness is round and balanced, not sticky like most brands.

A Korean iteration of soy sauce, this condiment originating from the Gyeongsang Province is crafted with exceptional care using traditional techniques. It’s simmered in a gamasot (large iron pot) for six hours with kelp and jujube, which gives the sauce a slightly more decadent consistency. It has soy sauce’s signature hit of umami nuttiness, yet there is a rounder, more distinct depth. There’s also a slight lingering sweetness akin to dark chocolate, which is brought out by the more salty and savory notes. The overall effect is exceptional richness of flavor and intriguing complexity. While cheaper brands generally all taste the same: flat, salty, savory, and one-note, the complex and subtleties of this ganjang really stand-out as especially beautiful and complex.

One of the trickier aspects of making homemade kimchi is getting the right balance of flavors. That's why we were happy to discover Mama's O's Vegan Kimchi Paste, a ready-to-use ingredient unlike anything else on the market—all you need is a head of napa cabbage (or other vegetable) and water. Company founder Kheedim Oh says it best: “All the mixing, measuring, juicing, grinding, chopping and shopping are already done in the jar.” The paste is balanced between savory, salty and spicy flavors and great for more than making kimchi. Use it to marinate meat, season stir-fries or flavor soups.

How to make napa cabbage kimchi:

Make a brine using 1 tablespoon salt per 1 cup water. Chop napa cabbage into 1.25-inch pieces. Submerge in the salt brine and let sit at room temperature overnight (about 8 hours). Drain and rinse well. For about 1 pound of cabbage, use ¼ cup paste and ¼ cup water. Mix well (we recommend using a gloved hand). Transfer to the jar, packing tightly. Cover, ideally with cheese cloth to allow gas to escape, or with a non-airtight lid. Let sit at room temperature for 2 days, or until pickled to your preference. Vent occasionally to release built-up pressure; optionally, place on a plate to catch drips. (Any fermented product will leak through lids as pressure builds.)

• Net Weight: 6 ounces
• Ingredients: Red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, sugar, lime juice, water, salt

K-Mama is a rich, mildly spicy and savory-sweet sauce that will add instant Korean flavor to almost any dish. Featuring a base of the Korean red pepper paste gochujang, K-Mama's Original Sauce has a mild, lingering chili heat balanced by brown sugar, umami-rich soy sauce and the fermented soybean paste used to make gochujang. Aromatic sesame oil gives the sauce a silky richness. The company also makes a Gluten-Free Sauce that's slightly tangier, brighter and lighter-bodied, but with all of the same complexity.

Minnesota resident and Korean American K.C. Kye developed K-Mama Sauce out of nostalgia for his mother's homemade Korean cooking. The award-winning condiment is ideal for making bibimbap, a classic Korean rice dish, as well as marinating meat, drizzling over rice or noodle dishes or using as a flavor base for stir-fry.

A 2019 Food Innovation Award winner, this kimchi seasoning mix perfectly captures the tangy, umami spice of Korea's favorite fermented pickled cabbage in a powdered, shelf-stable form. The bright red-orange powder has a soft texture that's finer than most seasoning salts, with an initial punch of fermented kimchi flavor that quickly gives way to a subtly fruity chili flavor. It's also the first ever vegan kimchi seasoning that contains lactobacillus, which is cultivated through a patented method here in the U.S. Like real kimchi, the natural tangy flavor mellows with heat when used as an ingredient in cooking, which makes the blend perfect for combining with other flavors and ingredients. But it's also complex enough to use as a one-ingredient dry rub for meat, seasoning salt for stir-fries or even a finishing salt on your morning eggs.

• Net Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Ingredients: Chili pepper powder, sugar, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, mixed vegetable powder (sugar, onion, green onion, cabbage, radish, maltodextrin, salt), shiitake mushroom extract powder, kelp powder, green onion extract powder, citric acid, disodium 5'-ribonucleotide (disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate), monosodium glutamate (MSG), yeast extract, oleoresin capsicum, paprika extract, ginger powder, black pepper powder, probiotics powder (Lactobacillus plantarum, crystalline cellulose), silicon dioxide
• Place of Origin: South Korea

This durably built 0.9-gallon Korean container is designed for fermenting kimchi, sauerkraut or pickles and is a breeze to use. The double lid locks tightly and is effective for containing odors, while the sturdy polypropylene construction scrubs up beautifully. The inner vacuum lid sits snugly on top of the fermenting products, preventing oxygen contact, which can lead to mold growth and spoilage; it also has a small covered valve that you can unseal to vent carbon dioxide buildup during fermentation.

We love finding new “magic” pantry ingredients from around the world that instantly boost flavor, and this Yondu is no exception. Fermented soybeans and a rich stock made from a robust blend of vegetables—including shiitake mushrooms, onions, garlic and cabbage—yield a concentrate bursting with umami. Not only will it give you delicious savory vegetarian broth in the blink of an eye, it can also be used as a secret umami boost for everything from marinades to cooked grains. We love how it’s an easy-to-pour liquid (and not a paste, which can be harder to incorporate into dishes) and how deeply savory its flavor is compared to store-bought broths—which can taste too sweet from relying on carrots. It’s wonderfully earthy from alliums and mushrooms, yet remains balanced. And the yeast extract, a popular ingredient for boosting savoriness in vegan dishes (and for creating the distinctive flavor of Marmite), produces an incredibly rich, intensely savory character that complements the Yondu’s complex flavors perfectly.