Jangajji and Korean pickles

The basic method is to submerge prepared vegetables in soy sauce, doenjang, gochujang or a vinegar brine and let them age until the flavor soaks in. For soy sauce jangajji, many cooks boil soy sauce with water, vinegar and sugar and pour it over the vegetables. Drying the vegetables well keeps them from turning soft or spoiling.

Western pickles are usually flavored with vinegar, sugar and salt, while traditional jangajji is preserved in fermented sauces such as soy sauce, doenjang or gochujang. That gives jangajji a saltier, deeper flavor. Many modern versions mix vinegar into soy sauce for a tangy taste, so the line between the two has blurred a little.

Kkaennip jangajji is perilla leaves marinated in a soy-based seasoning, usually eaten by wrapping a single leaf around a bite of rice. It is salty and fragrant, the kind of side dish people say makes rice disappear fast. If the leaves stick together, press down with one chopstick and lift a single leaf with the other.

Garlic jangajji is whole garlic or garlic scapes aged in soy sauce or a vinegar brine, which softens the sharp bite and leaves a sweet, tangy and salty flavor. It stays crunchy and pairs well with meat dishes. It is often made with new-season garlic and scapes.

Oiji is cucumbers cured in strong salt brine until they turn yellowish, a classic summer side dish. They are sliced thin, soaked to remove some salt, then tossed with chili flakes and sesame oil or floated in cold water. Their pleasantly firm, crunchy texture is the highlight.

Danmuji is yellow pickled radish made by curing radish with salt and rice bran or similar ingredients, and it is known to have come from Japanese takuan. Today it is extremely common in Korea, both inside gimbap and as a side with jajangmyeon at Chinese-Korean restaurants. Commercial danmuji may contain coloring and sweeteners, so check the label.

Jjanji is radish, cabbage or other vegetables heavily salted and kept for a long time, a preserved food similar to jangajji. In some regions the word is also used for kimchi, so its meaning varies a little. Because it is very salty, people soak it in water or chop it finely and season it before eating.

Pizza and pasta restaurants in Korea commonly serve tangy cucumber pickles as a standard side. They cut through cheese and oily food and refresh the palate between bites. It mirrors the Korean habit of always having kimchi or another tangy side dish on the table.

Korean BBQ restaurants often serve soy-pickled onions, chili peppers, radish or wild garlic leaves. Their tangy, salty flavor balances fatty grilled meat, so people wrap them with the meat or eat them between bites. The selection varies by restaurant, and refills are usually available.

Ganjang gejang is raw crab marinated and aged in a soy-based sauce, so in a broad sense it belongs to the family of preserved, steeped foods. The crab meat is silky and salty and is eaten with rice, often mixed inside the shell. Because it is raw, consider your health and how it has been stored, and avoid it if you are allergic to shellfish.

The saltiness of salt and fermented sauces, along with the acidity of vinegar, creates conditions where microbes struggle to grow. It developed as a way to enjoy seasonal vegetables all year before refrigerators existed. Modern lower-salt versions, however, are best kept in the refrigerator.

Traditionally, cooks drain the brine, boil it again, let it cool and pour it back over the vegetables a few times to make the jangajji keep longer. Some households use leftover brine to season braised or stir-fried dishes. If it smells off or shows mold, though, it is safest to throw it away.

Slice it thinly and soak it in cold water for a while to draw out some of the salt. Chopping it finely and mixing it into rice, rice balls or fried rice also spreads the saltiness out naturally. If you need to limit salt, enjoy only a small amount.

Yes, jangajji is an important side dish in temple cuisine. Buddhist temples have long preserved seasonal vegetables and mountain greens in fermented sauces to eat throughout the year. Temple food avoids pungent vegetables such as garlic and green onion, but ordinary restaurant jangajji may include them, so ask if it matters to you.

Maesil jangajji is usually made by removing the pits from green plums, slicing the flesh, curing it in sugar and then tossing it with gochujang or other seasoning. It is sweet, tangy and crunchy, a side dish that perks up the appetite. The pits are normally removed, and curing the flesh well in sugar first is key to the flavor.

Yes, it is one of the easiest kinds to make. Put sliced onions in a jar, bring a mix of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and water to a boil, and pour it over. Ratios vary from home to home, so adjust them to taste. Once it cools, refrigerate it and start eating after a few days.

Because it is salty, jangajji is eaten a little at a time with rice. People pair it with rice in cold water or porridge when they have little appetite, and it cuts the richness of meat or noodles. It can also be chopped and tucked into gimbap or rice balls.

Gochu jangajji is green chili peppers preserved in soy sauce, a vinegar brine or doenjang, and how hot it is depends on the pepper. Aging mellows the heat somewhat, but it can still be quite spicy, so try a small piece first. It goes nicely with meat or noodles.

It depends heavily on how much salt or sauce is used and how it is made, so there is no single answer. Traditional, very salty jangajji lasts a long time, while lighter modern versions should be eaten fairly soon even when refrigerated. For store-bought products, follow the storage instructions and date on the package.

Mumallaengi muchim is sun-dried radish strips that are rehydrated and tossed with chili flakes, soy sauce and rice syrup. It has a chewy, crunchy texture and a sweet and salty taste. The dish comes from the Korean tradition of drying vegetables so they can be kept and eaten for a long time.