Flavoring Ingredients for Braising (조림)

When making a Korean braised dish, a sauce mixture is often made and poured onto the ingredients along with the liquid. Below I breakdown some of the seasoning ingredients that can be used for the sauce. There are other kinds of seasonings that can be added but I am covering the ones that are added for a specific beneficial reason so that you understand why they are added. 

• Fine sea salt (꽃소금) can be used to season your braised dish. It is a great option when you want to avoid any unwanted changes in the sauce color. Use this if you do not have soy sauce.
• Dark soy sauce (진간장) is the best kind of soy sauce to use for braised dishes. When using it, you must be careful not to add too much and darken the braising liquid to an unappetizing level. To avoid making the braising liquid too dark, use a combination of salt and soy sauce to the liquid for braising. Do not use soup soy sauce (국간장) in your braised dish, or it will be too salty.
• Mirin (미림) can be added to remove any fish aroma, add mild sweetness, and enhance the umami of other ingredients. You can use soju if you do not have Mirin. Soju will also help to remove the fish smell.
• Sesame oil (참기름) should be added at the end of the cooking process. It adds flavor and shine to the dish. Remember that sesame oil shouldn’t be used on high heat, so always add it at the end right before the dish is done cooking.
• Oligosaccharide(올리고당) is a syrup that adds shine and sweetness. Add this at the end of the cooking process because when this sweetener is heated, it gets less sweet. You can use white sugar if you do not have syrup. White sugar can be added at the beginning of the cooking process. 
• Mulyeot (물엿) is a clear-colored starch syrup that is usually made from corn starch. This syrup adds a clean flavor and an appetizing shine to your braised dish. Add this syrup at the end of the cooking process to achieve the most shine. 
• Green Plum Syrup (매실청) is another sweetener that you can use in your braised dish. You can add this at the beginning of the cooking method. 
• Soybean paste (된장) can be added to your braising liquid to remove the smell of fish. You can add a spoon or two to the liquid at the beginning of the cooking method. 
• Coarse Red Pepper Flakes (굵은고춧가루) give a clean spicy flavor and appetizing look to the braised dish. Before adding your red pepper flakes, mix them with the other seasoning ingredients in a bowl on the side and let it sit until you are ready to make your dish. Letting the red pepper flakes soak with the other ingredients like soy sauce etc., helps to make the red pepper flakes taste less raw. Red pepper paste (고추장) is not often used in braised dishes, but it can be. Do you, girl 🙂
• Salted shrimp (새우젓) adds flavor and depth to braised dishes like tofu or radish. It also adds salt and a seafood taste. 
• Ginger (생강) and Garlic (마늘) are often added to braised dishes. Garlic is a given and necessary flavor to add. Ginger is optional but adds a fresh flavor and can help reduce any natural fish smell.
• Perilla Seed Oil (들기름) can be used at the end of the cooking process to add shine and flavor. Just like sesame oil, it should not be cooked at high temperatures. Perilla seed oil can also help to remove unwanted fish aroma.