Kimchi has become a word known by many people around the world, no matter whether you are a lover of Korean culture or not. Since the K-Pop and K-drama industry reached so many fans internationally and Korean food became very popular worldwide.
How to make Kimchi
Recipes with Kimchi
What is Kimchi/김치?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean, and not only, side dish. It is salty, and fermented, and can be found from slightly spicy to very spicy. There is a even joke around foreigners visiting and living in Korea about how Korean ahjummas* always ask you in restaurants if you are sure that you want to order kimchi or kimchi-based dishes.
*Korean term for married/middle-aged women, also referred by many to older women who serve you in restaurants or simply any older woman in society.
Now, to be honest we have also tried many types of Kimchi and some were incredibly spicy while others were the perfect level of spicy.
The process of making Kimchi is actually very important in Korea and for Korean families. It's considered a family activity for some Koreans and there are many festivals dedicated to making Kimchi, where people can participate and take some home.
When the time for making Kimchi comes, you will see Korean families buying lots of large bags with Kimchi cabbages. The main ingredients for making Kimchi are: ginger, carrots, green onions, onions, garlic, rice flour, fish sauce, salted fermented small shrimp paste/ 새우젓 (saeujeot), and Gochugaru (Korean chilly flakes). But there are other ingredients that you add as well.
Korean people prepare kimchi in the autumn when napa cabbages are harvested and fermenting process gets a proper temperature.
For a detailed recipe for Kimchi read this article.
Types of Kimchi
Cabbage Kimchi/ 배추김치
Traditional Kimchi is eaten at most meals and with most dishes. It has a salty and spicy taste, and due to the fermentation, it can have a slightly fuzzy taste. This type of kimchi is made of cabbage with spring onions and sliced carrots to accompany it.
Cube radish Kimchi/ 깍두기
Cube radish Kimchi has the same recipe as the cabbage Kimchi only that we replace the cabbage with radish cut into small 2 - 3 cm cubes. It tastes the same, however, this one gives you a nice crunchy feeling when you eat it and it can also feel a bit refreshing.
Cucumber Kimchi/ 오이소바기 김치
This type of kimchi is made of cucumbers/ Korean cucumbers that are cut into 4 pieces (or to make it easier to be eaten it can be cut into small long pieces), stuffed with garlic chives, and then soaked into the same Kimchi base as the other ones.
They are preferred during the summer since they give you a refreshing taste and feel.
Green onion Kimchi/ 쪽파김치
Made in the spring when the green onion is best to find and eat, this recipe is similar to the traditional Kimchi. Easy and fast to prepare, you only need jjokpa/ 쪽파 (a type of green onion which is thinner than all other types) and basic Kimchi base sauce. If you cannot find the jjokpa you can use the regular green onion/ 파 or silpa scallions that are very thin.
Young summer radish Kimchi/ 열무김치
Another type of Kimchi is made in the summer since the cabbages are not yet fully harvested. Prepared with young summer radish, green onion, gochugaru, usual kimchi ingredients, and chives it gives the eater a special taste and refreshing feel.
Ponytail radish Kimchi/ 총각김치
Widely known as ponytail radishes for their shape, in Korea they are called chonggak/ 총각 or chonggakmu/ 총각무. It is made the same way as normal Kimchi but it takes around at least one week for it to be well fermented.
Fun fact: This type of kimchi it's also named the Bachelor's Kimchi. Why? Because back in ancient times Korean bachelors (single men) used to wear long braided hair until marriage. The way this radish looked reminded Korean people of the way single men wore their hair.
Mustard leaf Kimchi/ 갓김치
Mustard leaf Kimchi is made from the Jeolla Do/ 전라도 after they get to be fermented will have a bitter and soil-like taste feeling. Due to their texture, these leaves must be soaked in salty water for a longer time compared to traditional Kimchi. Most Koreans recommend eating Gat Kimchi with meat dishes, as it goes very well together.
Fresh Kimchi/ 배추겉절이
It is simply normal Kimchi but we do not let it ferment. Its main purpose is to eat it on spot as a fresh "salad" like side dish but it can also be stored for a maximum of 7 days. Since we do not let it ferment for a longer time, the recipe needs sugar syrup in order to artificially give that sweet flavor.
This kimchi type is usually made during the summer when napa cabbage is not yet available, so we need to use younger types of cabbages. The difference between using the cabbages during the summer and autumn is that we need to use only the soft parts for preparing fresh kimchi.
Stuffed cabbage Kimchi/ 보쌈김치
It might not look like a kimchi type however, it is very popular in Gaeseong, Gyeonggi-do Province. For this kimchi Koreans usually use Gaeseong cabbage leaves. They soak the leaves in salt water and stuff them with different ingredients, which might be more special compared with what usual Korean side dishes have in them (nuts, seafood, Korean pear, etc.). Alongside, they put the usual ingredients for making kimchi and let it be ready.
Water Kimchi/ 나박 김치 or 물김치 (not spicy)
While there are several types of water kimchi, one of the most known is nabak kimchi. As the image can tell, all we need to do is cut the vegetables into small square pieces (this method is called nabak-sseolgi/ 나박썰기) and soak them in a more watery kimchi base that does not have (or has less) fish sauce and saeujeot.
Because we are soaking the vegetables and gochugaru in the water this type of kimchi is less if not at all spicy.
White Kimchi/ 백김치 (not spicy)
Simply translated as White kimchi, baek Kimchi is just napa cabbage made as the normal recipe follows BUT we do not put any gochugaru in it. Yes, we know! In the world of red-flaming Korean food, this white kimchi is like a unique side dish for us. Baek kimchi is very similar to Nabak kimchi.
It is said that white kimchi goes well while eating Korean BBQ.
Cabbage&radish water Kimchi/ 동치미
Very similar to nabak kimchi it differentiates from it by being seated during the winter season as opposed to nabak. Its name originated from the Korean word 동 (cold season) and it's made at the end of autumn or early winter. Therefore, the radishes might have a sweeter taste compared to younger ones. Koreans usually prepare it around the beginning of winter/ 입동 and it tastes the best when it reaches the winter solstice/ 동지.
Perilla leaf Kimchi or Pickled perilla leaves/ 깻잎김치 or 까닙 장아지
If you go to Korea or watch Korean movies/ shows you will hear this side dish called either 깻잎김치 or 까닙 장아지. Which are basically the same thing but some call it kimchi and other pickles.
As it looks, they are perilla leaves fermented for 1 week in the kimchi base sauce. The secret to having the best perilla kimchi is to carefully put a layer of the mixture between each leaf AND to add soy sauce to the base (or more if you already include it).
Fun fact: this kimchi can be eaten as a side dish or, some people simply eat it by taking one leaf, placing a spoon of rice in it, and then enjoy. A simple and fast meal!
Other interesting facts about Kimchi:
Kimchi is considered to be very healthy because it contains probiotic bacteria.
It can help with different digestive problems such as gastric reflux, abdominal pain, passing gas, heartburn, etc.
It contains vitamins A, B, C, and K and minerals such as calcium, iron, and others.
Can help with combating Helicobacter Pleuri (promotes inflammation in the stomach and ulcers)
Studies showed that some people who ate kimchi regularly had higher levels of HDL and lower LDL (those studies do not suggest that kimchi is always the case for regulating cholesterol levels but it had few connections)
Many Korean people think that ramen and kimchi go together and it is the best combination
After a very popular Korean drama showed an angry woman slapping her son-in-law white a whole kimchi cabbage it become a very popular worldwide meme and from here the Korean expression "Kimchi Slap" has been created.
Extra: Chloe Moretz as a guest on the Korean SNL re-enacted the scene
If you want to look for some ideas of recipes with Kimchi, check out this post.
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