Kimchi is everywhere—in Korea dramas, served at your local Korean restaurant or in a jar ready for you to pick up at your nearest grocery store. Not bad for a dish that is forever synonymous to South Korea. For the past 20 years, This so-called K-wave has brought this fermented delicacy to a larger audience. In this blog post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Kimchi.

History of South Korea’s national dish

Kimchi has been a favorite side dish for a very long time now. Its origin can be traced back to the first century BC until 7 AD, when preservation of food was a norm for people of Korea. The families back then had to find a way to get stock of food readily available especially during winter season when the invention of refrigerator, was far from being realized.

Unlike what we see now usually as red and spicy cabbage in jars, Kimchi was made with radish and not spicy and fermented in pots they called Onggi and buried in the ground.

Only the arrival of Europeans, the Portuguese traders who introduced chili to Asians in the 17th century led Koreans to make spicy Kimchi. Since then, Kimchi has evolved into many variations.

Cabbage is not the only vegetable you can use in kimchi making

Kimchi is made with many selections of spices and vegetables. By 1820’s, there had already been 92 different types of Kimchi . At present, there are already over a hundred types of Kimchi. Pretty long list, huh?

Here are 2 more prominent kimchi versions according to Brittanica:

Kkakdugi is Kimchi made of diced radish mixed with different spices. It is fermented for around 2 weeks inside a large pot locally called onggi or jangdok. Just like Kimchi, Kkakdugi is a Korean side dish favorite.

Oi Sobagi is cucumber Kimchi. Used to snacking on pickles? Oi Sobagi can not different.This version is not that known elsewhere but in Korea, known for being crunchy and refreshing, the cucumber Kimchi is a summer favorite.

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Kimchi made with eggplant; bamboo shoot; sugar beets; lotus roots; pumpkin; spinach; Korean wild chive; sweet potato vines; and cilantro are some of the lesser known versions of Kimchi, outside Korea, at least.

How is Kimchi Made?

Lacto-fermentation or natural fermentation through use of brining, is the most important stage in making Kimchi. Brining is the process of submerging the vegetables in brine solution that only good bacteria (Lactobacillus bacteria or LABs) can survive in. Similar products that undergo lacto-fermentation include yogurt, pickles and Kimchi.

After the brining process, the LABs convert the sugars present in the food into lactic acid, thus creating an acidic environment that gives Kimchi the distinct flavor and aroma.

To make brine solution for making Kimchi, high concentration of salt ranging from 3% to 26 % is needed but for traditional making of cabbage kimchi, 15% brine solution is the standard.

Want to make your own Kimchi Korean-style?

Here is a recipe of Kimchi according to Sook Jong Rhee, Jang-Eun Lee & Cherl-Ho Lee of Department of Food Technology of Korea University in Seoul, South Korea.

Cabbage Kimchi

Ingredients:

• 100 g Korean cabbage
• 2 g of garlic
• 2 g of red pepper powder
• 0.5 g of ginger
• 2 g of green onion
• 10% brine solution

Cut the fresh cabbage in half or shredded. Afterwards, soak it in brine of approximately 10% salt concentration overnight (or 15% salt brine for 5 to 10 hours) and then wash and drain. Chop and mix the minor ingredients, with shredded radish stuffed between the salted cabbage leaves. Pack the Kimchi in an earthen jar, Onggi or Dok and bury it in the ground and press it with a stone in order to submerge them in the juice. Ferment the Winter Kimchi for 1-2 months.

Shelflife of Kimchi

Yes, though fermented, Kimchi will still spoil and go bad, and quickly when stored improperly.

Once opened, a jar of kimchi stored at room temperature lasts about a week. Keeping Kimchi in the refrigerator lengthens the shelf life for months (3 months to 12 months) and Kimchi will continue to ferment. Just ensure that refrigerator’s temperature must be at 40° F (4° C) or lower, as per FDA. Higher temperature increases the rate of spoilage.

How to tell if it is Kimchi is spoiled? As long as the normal smell of Kimchi is there and it doesn’t have mold, it is safe to consume. When in doubt, do not consume it—better be safe.

Health benefits of eating kimchi

Should you consume Kimchi? Picky eaters, particularly who do not like eating veggies, may find Kimchi a very good tasting side dish. That sourness, spiciness and umami just perfectly blend together. But is its favorable taste the only reason why you should get a jar of it? Definitely not!

Depending on the ingredients used, kimchi can give you a lot of healthy benefits.

Considered a super healthy food, the presence of lactic-acid bacteria in Kimchi makes it a probiotic, like yogurt. It’s good bacteria help you maintain a healthy digestive system and immune system.

For the skin conscious, I’ve got great news for you.

Ever wondered how Koreans have managed to look younger than they actually are? Because Kimchi is rich in antioxidants such as carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamins and other phenolic compounds. And on average, Korean adults eat at least 1 serving (100 grams) of Kimchi each day. So?

Although I’ve listed some here, might wanna check this post out from University Health Post for a detailed list of everything you need to know about Kimchi and its health benefits.

Right! That’s everything You Need To Know About Kimchi.

Reference:

Rhee, S.J., Lee, J. & Lee, C. Importance of lactic acid bacteria in Asian fermented foods. Microb Cell Fact 10, S5 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2859-10-S1-S5

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