As with the bean curd, Korean cuisine uses both soy bean and mung bean sprouts. Check your specialty grocery store or local farmers' market for the freshest selection. One of the key seasonings in Korean cooking, it's often pickled and eaten on its own. Fresh ginger is another important seasoning. Never substitute powdered ginger for fresh.
Most supermarkets carry fresh ginger root.
This staple comes in numerous varieties, but the most common is napa cabbage pickled with ingredients such as red pepper flakes, garlic, onion juice and ginger. You can find it in Asian groceries. Popular varieties include shiitake, wood ear and Chinese mushrooms. The three most common types are made from potato or mung bean flour, buckwheat, and wheat. The potato or mung bean noodles are light and slippery, and are used in chapchae.