4 min read
What is kimchi?
A short guide to Korea's favourite side dish
In Korea, kimchi isn't a special treat but part of everyday life: a small bowl of it turns up at almost every meal. We looked into where it comes from, what goes into it and how best to eat it.
Fermented vegetables with many faces
Kimchi is an umbrella term for vegetables fermented with salt and spices. The best known is made from Chinese cabbage, baechu-kimchi. It's the one on most Korean tables, and it's the one we make.
But kimchi is also made from radish, cucumber and spring onion, and there's even a white version with no heat at all. Today Korea counts more than two hundred kinds.
Older than you'd think
Preserving vegetables with salt goes back thousands of years on the Korean peninsula. It's how there were still vegetables on the table through long, cold winters.
The bright red kimchi we know today is fairly young, though. Chili powder only became its defining spice in the later Joseon period. Exactly when and how chili reached Korea is still debated by historians.
Kimjang: when everyone makes kimchi
In late autumn, before winter sets in, Korean families and neighbours get together to make the winter's kimchi. The custom is called kimjang. The finished kimchi is shared with relatives, neighbours and people in need.
In 2013 UNESCO added kimjang to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
If that sounds familiar, it's no coincidence. Here in Transylvania, too, autumn was when the cabbage went into the barrel, and in many families it's still a job done together.
What goes into it?
Classic kimchi starts with Chinese cabbage, which is salted and then tossed with a spice paste. The paste usually contains ginger, garlic, Korean chili powder and spring onion. Many recipes add radish, fish sauce or fermented shrimp.
The proportions vary from family to family: every house has its own kimchi. Ours is a secret, but we list the exact ingredients and allergens before you order.
What does it taste like?
Tangy, spicy, salty and umami all at once, while the cabbage stays crunchy. Fresh, it's brighter and milder; as it matures it gets sourer and deeper.
The easiest way to picture it is as sauerkraut's spicy Korean cousin.
How to eat it
- As a side, the Korean way: next to rice, grilled meat or eggs, in small portions.
- For breakfast, with scrambled or fried eggs.
- In kimchi fried rice: leftover rice, a handful of kimchi and a fried egg on top.
- In kimchi stew (kimchi-jjigae): older, sourer kimchi works best here.
- In sandwiches, burgers or toasties: its sharpness balances richer flavours.