The lotus is a lovely plant, and in Korea every single part of it has a purpose.
Tagingredients
Korean chilies 101
Korean food isn’t always spicy—there are plenty of mild, savory dishes without that well-known spicy kick. But spicy flavors are popular, and we have the gochu (고추, chili) to thank for that.
Hamcho: Samphire, glasswort, sea asparagus
Travel along the southwest coast in summer and you may come across a bright green, succulent-like plant stretching upwards like a tiny tree from the mudflat. This is hamcho (함초, samphire or glasswort, Salicornia herbacea),
Six Korean spring clams
Spring brings all kinds of good things to the fish market, and one of these is the bounty of fresh clams.
Jukkumi: Webfoot octopus
When the breezes begin to lose their winter bite, usually in March here in Korea, we start talking about jukkumi (주꾸미, webfoot octopus).
Gaebul: The fat innkeeper worm (AKA the penis fish)
There’s no way around this one so we’re not going to mince words here. There’s a creature called the “penis fish” and it’s delicious.
Ueong: Burdock root
Ueong (우엉, pronounced ooh-ung) is known as burdock root in English, and can be found in temperate zones around the world.
Consider the Oyster
Oysters are curious, divisive creatures, beloved by some, despised by others.
Goddeulbbaegi: The bitter old man of the vegetable world
Of all the vegetables in the traditional Korean diet, godeulbbaegi (고들빼기, Crepidiastrum sonchifolium) is the most intensely bitter.