Kimchi: The Pungent & Fiery National Dish of Korea
Jul 17 '00
One of the hallmarks of a military town is the variety of cultures that may be found there. Living as I do, near Ft. Bragg, N.C., my hometown seems to have at least a representative of every imaginable nationality. Like a lot of Americans, I find the fastest way to make friends with folks from other cultures is to show an interest in their culture and in their food.
My church is multi-ethnic. We have members from Romania, Germany, Burma, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, and Korea. Every other Sabbath we have a potluck dinner after the worship service. It is an interesting vegetarian international buffet. One dish that is quickly devoured week after week is prepared by one of our Korean members.
I enjoy the dish immensely so I asked her what it was called. She told me that the concoction is the national food of Korea and that it’s called kimchi. She offered to teach me to make it. I readily agreed. I told a few people about my upcoming culinary lesson and they all rolled their eyes and made faces. Kimchi has a reputation for being somewhat odiferous and notoriously hot. While it does have a unique aroma, I do not find it unpleasant. The temperature can be controlled by the amount of pepper used.
Ingredients
1 head of Chinese cabbage
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
6 spring onions, sliced in one inch sections
1 dakon radish, julliened
½ cup of sea salt
4 tbsp (or to taste) Korean pepper flakes
1 tbsp kimchi sauce (optional)
1 tbsp fish sauce (Thai or Vietnamese – also optional)
If there is no Korean market in your area, you can purchase dried hot peppers (cayenne or Thai peppers). You will need to grind them your self. Remove the seeds to decrease the heat. The kimchi and fish sauces are also available at Korean or oriental markets
Preparation
Slice the cabbage into one-inch strips and place it in a large bowl or in a plastic bag. Add all the salt and stir until the cabbage is covered in it. Allow the cabbage to sit for three hours. The salt will draw water from the cabbage during this time.
Place the cabbage in a colander and rinse it thoroughly several times until all of the remaining salt is rinsed off. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Make sure the pepper flakes coat all of the cabbage.
Pack the mixture in one or more glass jars. Place the covers on the jars loosely. Place the jars on a towel and allow them to sit at room temperature for 48 hours. It’s normal for some of the liquid to overflow the jars during these two days. After you’ve allowed the jars to sit, tighten the lids and place the kimchi in the refrigerator to chill.
For a quick meal, serve it cold with rice or ramen noodles.
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Note: Kimchi can also be made with cucumbers, bok choy, turnips, or practically any cruciferous vegetable
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Member: Lou Plummer
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