Kimchi is Korea’s national dish and an essential part of every meal. It might smell a bit strong but don’t be hesitant! In fact, Kimchi is fermented cabbage in a delicious mix of spicy pepper flakes, garlic, chives, onions and more. As it ferments, it develops a richer flavor.
Kimchi is one of the healthiest foods in the world! it is very low in calories, boosts your metabolism and contains a lot of healthy bacteria. Click here to learn more about the benefits of eating Kimchi!
In fact, Kimchi is so important that Koreans feel like a meal without Kimchi is not a complete meal. No wonder it is consumed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It can also be the topping of pizza and burgers! If you are not into raw Kimchi, you might try Kimchi Fried Rice, Kimchi Stew or Kimchi Pancake, which taste less strong.
Back to the early period of the Three Kingdoms, Korean people usually make the food with some ingredients such as wine, soybean paste, and salted, etc. They used those ingredients to make the Kimchi with various vegetables and burying it in the pickle jar during the winter, it can last up to 6 months even they do not have refrigerators in the ancient time.
There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with different vegetables, for example pickled radish slices and cucumber Kimchi are summer side-dish and the cabbage kimchi are winter side-dish.
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Here’s some places that you can learn more about Kimchi or book a Kimchi Making Experience class.
Kimchi Museum
Kimchi among the five healthiest foods in the world and people around the world became more interested in its because of the dramas. Kimjang, the traditional process of preparation and preservation of kimchi, was designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Travelers can visit the Kimchi Museum to learn about the different types and history of kimchi.
There are several Kimchi school and experience center in Seoul but require reservation. Check out the details on their website or contact us directly.
Seoul Kimchi Academy House
Seoul Kimchi Academy House offers experience program such as Korean traditional costume wearing, Kimchi or Rice cake making class.
We also offer small group or private Korean cooking class if you join our private tour, you can choose the Korean dish such as Kimbap, Bulgogi or Japchae, etc. Contact us through our inquiry form or email info@onedaykorea.com We will customize the best itinerary for you!
How to make Kimchi?
The traditional Kimchi is quiet difficult and it takes a very long time to make because you have to pour the salt water over the cabbage and then set aside for about 8 hours before make it. Here’s a speedy version for a cabbage Kimchi that you can make it easily at home.
1). Slice the cabbage into a bite size pieces, and then put it into a huge bowl. Mix with sea salt with cold water, set aside for a couple of hours. Remember to turn over the cabbage every 30 minutes to make sure the cabbage get salty evenly.
2). Prepare the thinly slice carrots and green onions (you can also put some onions and radish if you want).
3). Prepare the Kimchi paste by blending the ginger, garlic, fish sauce, chill power, apple or pear juice, you can use sugar if you do not have apple or pear juice. Hot chill pepper also is an optional.
4). After a couple of hours, the cabbage should became soft and salty, please drain away the water and then mix the cabbage with the vegetables and Kimchi paste together!
5). Put the Kimchi into a jar or container for a couple of days at room temperature. Once opened, kimchi should be refrigerated to help it last longer.
