Kimchi: Korea's Best Known Food

Filed in archive Kimchi , Korean Recipes on May 20, 2010

© isaac'licious

A Korean menu wouldn't be complete without kimchi. What is kimchi exactly, you might ask?

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of vegetables with various seasonings. It is most commonly made with napa cabbage, radish, green onion, chive and cucumber. In Korean cuisine, kimchi is the most common side dish.

In Seoul, the Kimchi Field Museum has documented 187 historic and current varieties of kimchi. Koreans serve kimchi at almost every meal and very few Koreans can last more than a few days before craving for kimchi.

Here's a simple Korean kimchi recipe (found via):

Ingredients:

1 large Chinese cabbage
1/2 cup Sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
5 Spring onions, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
5 cm Fresh ginger, grated
3 teaspoons Chopped fresh chili
1 tablespoon Caster sugar
2 1/2 cups Cold water

Instructions:

1. Cut the cabbage in half, then into large bite-sized pieces.
2. Place a layer of cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with a little salt. Continue with layers of cabbage and salt, finishing with a salt layer.
3. Cover with a dinner plate that will fit as snugly as possible over the top of the cabbage.
4. Weigh down the plate with cans or a small brick and leave the bowl in a cool place for 5 days.
5. Remove the weights and plate, pour off any liquid, then rinse the cabbage well under cold running water.
6. Squeeze out any excess water and combine the cabbage with the cayenne pepper, spring onion, garlic, ginger, chili and sugar.
7. Mix well to combine before spooning the cabbage into a large sterilized jar.
8. Pour the water over the top and seal with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days before eating.

Kim Chi is served as a side dish to many Korean main meals and with steamed rice. For an authentic flavor, use 3 tablespoons of chili. Also, bottled chopped chili can be used instead of fresh chili.