Garlic

• Most Korean dishes incorporate garlic. Koreans use garlic in meat dishes, vegetable preparations and sauces. Garlic is almost always minced and added to savory foods. Kimchi, the pickled cabbage side dish often used as a topping, contains garlic, and cooks commonly add garlic to soy sauce for a richer flavor.

Green Onion

• Korean cuisine, like many other Asian cuisines, employs green onions as a savory ingredient in meals like stir-fry dishes. Green onions also serve as a colorful garnish for many Korean meals.

Red Pepper

• Red pepper was introduced to Korea during the 17th century, according to "Discovering Korean Cuisine." Koreans use the crimson spice in a number of forms, including paste, powdered and fresh. Red chili paste commonly adds a deep, spicy taste to vegetable dishes, meats and sauces. Korean chili paste combines red pepper, garlic, salt and sometimes fish sauce, according to "Discovering Korean Cuisine." Fiery peppers counterbalance sweet rice and milder foods. Rep pepper powder makes kimchi spicy. The total chili production in South Korea totals 200,000 tons, making the nation the fifth largest producer of peppers in the world, according to Motherlindas.com.

Black Pepper

• Koreans add ground black pepper to a number of dishes. Soups and sauces contain plenty of ground black pepper. Pepper is added to condiments and many savory stir-fries. Koreans use black pepper for bulgogi, or a marinade for beef, according to Epicurious.com.

Ginger

• Many Korean dishes include ginger, a flavorful, spicy root. Ginger is added to many sauces, stir-fries and kimchi. A simple Korean dipping sauce includes soybean paste, crushed garlic, grated ginger, red pepper sauce, salad oil and water. The sauce is used for meats and vegetables.