I have gotten a few requests for a more thorough post on kimchi since my arrival in Korea, and I figured that since we are currently in the throes of kimchi preparation season in the ROK, there would be no better time for me to tackle the subject.
Historically, the pickling and fermentation of cabbage and other vegetables arose from the need of an agrarian society to preserve it's main food source in order to get through the long, cold winters here on the Korean peninsula. Of course, in modern times this is no longer necessary, but the tradition of preparing for winter by making and storing pound after pound of kimchi persists-- though, now, rather than being stored underground, it is stored in special and widely popular kimchi refrigerators.
In my first post I described kimchi as a staple food of Korea, but in reality it is so much more. IMHO, kimchi qualifies as a cultural obsession among the Korean people, and serves as something of an icon for the nation. Last year, when the first Korean astronaut entered space, government research institutes spent millions of dollars developing a bacteria-free kimchi to send into orbit with him. Private and government funded websites, publications, and museums all devoted to the promotion and glorification of kimchi are plentiful, and it is suspected that the government has repressed the publication of research showing excessive consumption to be the cause of the high rate of gastric cancer found among Koreans. Kimchi is a source of national pride, and in Korea's quest to grow her cuisine's presence and popularity on the international scene, kimchi is the central tool.
Myth and speculation surrounding kimchi's ancient origins abound. Here is an example of one myth accounting for the foods' conception:
The origin of kimchi is attributed to a poor farmer who carried several old heads of cabbage to the sea to wash and freshen them. He noticed that these rather meager heads seemed to grow bulkier after sitting in the salty water, and decided he was onto something great. If a short washing in sea water made them a little heavier wouldn't an overnight soaking make them a lot heavier? His puny cabbage would become hearty and he would have more food for himself and his family. He left the cabbages to soak and returned expectantly the next morning, only to find that the pot he had left them in was half empty. He swore revenge on the cruel thief, not realizing that it was the salt in the water that had brought about the change in the contents of the pot and not a criminal. Perhaps driven by dispair, the farmer tore off a leaf from the wilted cabbage heads and popped it in his mouth. Yummmmm! Kimchi was born...There are other stories like this one floating around, but, however it is that kimchi actually came about, there is no mistaking the food's importance in Korea, nor the value that Koreans have placed on it, both historically and today. Here's a little taste of kimchi propoganda:
The trailer below was linked to from LoveThatKimchi.com, one of many websites and blogs devoted to the food. Apparently this "Kimchi Khan" documentary has been 20 years in the making.
The article on wikipedia will tell you most of anything else that you might want to know-- and I am a lazy blogger-- so I will simply conclude by sharing with you pictures and recipes for my own top 5 favorite types of kimchi. Enjoy :)
1. Baechu Kimchi: Nappa cabbage kimchi, the most common variety
Recipie found at whats4eats.com
Makes about 2 quarts
- Chinese cabbage, outer leaves removed, cut into 1-inch squares -- 1 head, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
- Kosher or sea salt -- 1/2 cup
- Scallions, finely chopped -- 4-6
- Garlic, minced -- 2-4 cloves
- Ginger, minced -- 1 tablespoon
- Korean chili flakes -- 4-6 tablespoons
- Sugar -- 1 tablespoon
Method
- Add the cabbage and salt to a large glass or plastic bowl and toss together well with clean hands. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 2-5 hours.
- Place the cabbage—which should now be soft—in a colander. Rinse out the bowl and then rinse the cabbage well with water. Squeeze out excess water and return cabbage to the bowl. This step removes excess salt.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon. Place into a larg,, clean glass or plastic crock, container or jar and tamp down to remove any air bubbles. Cover with a lid and let set in a cool, dark place for 2-3 days.
- Transfer to a new container and store refrigerated for up to two weeks.
2. Chonggak Kimchi: Ponytail raddish kimchi-- also called "bachelor kimchi"
Recipe from yum-recipes.com
Ingredients
| 3 | bn | Korean ponytail radishes |
| 1 | cup | salt plus |
| 1 | tbl | salt |
| 1 | head | garlic |
| 2 | piece | ginger root - (ea 1" long) peeled |
| 1 | bn | green onions cut 1" slices |
| 1/2 | cup | Korean ground chile |
| 1 | tbl | salted shrimp |
Instructions:
Peel radishes, taking care to leave green stalks attached.
Wash radishes thoroughly.
Drain in colander. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 cup salt.
Mix and let sit 30 minutes.
Separate garlic cloves and peel.
Place garlic and ginger in food processor or blender and mince.
Combine garlic mixture with green onions, chile, salted shrimp and 1 tablespoon salt.
(If mixing with your hands, be sure to wear gloves to avoid chili burn.
)Rinse salt from radishes.
Drain in colander. Rub seasoning mix onto radishes.
Set 2 (1-quart) jars on work surface.
Divide radishes among jars.
Let sit 2 to 3 days before serving.
Refrigerate after opening.
This recipe yields 2 quarts.
3. Oi Sobagi: stuffed cucumber kimchi, especially popular in spring and summer
Recipe from Chow.com
Ingredients
6 medium unwaxed cucumbers
2 tablespoons salt
1 bunch chives
6 green onions
1 small Daikon radish
Seasoning Paste
4 cloves garlic
1/2 small white or yellow onion
1 inch fresh ginger
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons medium ground red chili pepper
1 tablespoon fine ground red chili pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Optional
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
Instructions
- Prepare the Cucumbers–Cut cucumbers in half across the middle.
Slice the cucumber sections in half lengthwise, leaving the last 1/4 inch uncut.
Turn the cucumber section half way and repeat.
Lightly salt the inside surfaces and let stand for at least twenty minutes. Rinse, drain, and place in a large non metallic mixing bowl. - Prepare the vegetables–Grate or shred the Daikon and lightly salt.
Fine chop the green onion - Mix the Seasoning Paste–Place the garlic, onion half, and ginger into a blender with just enough water to blend into thick smooth paste. Pour into a medium non metallic mixing bowl.
Add all other seasoning ingredients and mix well. Add water as needed to maintain a thick paste.
Add chive, daikon, and green onion, mix well.
Let stand fifteen to twenty minutes. - Stuff Cucumber–Carefully stuff the seasoning paste into the slotted cucumber. Be careful not to break the uncut ends.
Place stuffed cucumber into a large glass container, cover tightly, and let stand at least one hour.
Refrigerate and serve cold with your favorite Korean meal.
4. Dongchimi: White radish kimchi, vinegary rather than spicy
Recipe from koreanfood.about.com
Ingredients:
- 8 Medium Korean radishes (if you can't find, use Daikon), peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 6 Tbsp sea salt
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3-4 green onions, sliced into 2 inch pieces
- 10 cups of water (about 2 quarts)
- Carrots, chili peppers, or Asian pears (optional)
- Coat radishes with 3 Tbsp of salt and 2 Tbsp of sugar. Let stand for 1 day at room temp.
- After 1 day, dissolve 3 Tbsp of salt and 2 Tbsp of sugar into warm water.
- Add liquid to salted radishes, garlic, green onions, and any other vegetables you are using. Let stand for 1-2 days at room temp.
- When broth has achieved a tart, vinegary flavor, store in refrigerator.
- To serve, ladle vegetables and generous amount of broth into a cup or small bowl.
5. Pa Kimchi: Green onion kimchi
Recipe from korean-cuisine.blogspot.com
Ingredients:
- 5 dans of jjook pa
- 1 CUP red pepper powder
- 1.5 TB sugar
- 2 TB honey powder
- 3 TB gga-nari fish sauce
- 1 TB fish sauce
- 3 TB rice wine
- 6 TB water
- 1 TB sesame seeds
- 0.5 TB salt
Mix together the ingredients listed above: 1 CUP red pepper powder,1.5 TB sugar, 2 TB honey powder, 3 TB gga-nari fish sauce, 1 TB fish sauce, 3 TB rice wine, 6 TB water, 1 TB sesame seeds, 0.5 TB ginger powder, and 0.5 TB salt.
Work the pepper mixture into the pa in thirds. Get 1/3 of the pa and 1/3 of the mixture and mix, and so on...
Once everything is mixed in well, let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. This will make the pa soft and much more easier to store.
Finally, store in a container overnight and then let it ferment inside the fridge for a few days.
After a few days it will be ready to serve!
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