Kimchi wakes the taste bud of the world beyond Korea

 

Kimchi is an indispensable food on Koreans’ dining table. Our boundless attachment to kimchi is so great that a bowl of rice is finished in a blink of an eye even just with a few pieces of kimchi is served. Kimchi is not only a representative food of Korea, but it has become a culture after many years, called 'kimjang', which has been listed as UNESCO’s 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity' in December 2013. UNESCO has evaluated the culture of kimjang as a legacy of sharing and solidarity, which brings unique identity and a connection to Koreans that facilitates interchange between communities with creative eating habits using natural ingredients.

 

#Meaning and Origin of Kimjang

The dictionary meaning of kimjang is 'to make kimchi in bulk for the winter.' Now you can easily find kimjang ingredients in all seasons, however, back in the old days when food was scarce, people had to make kimchi to eat for the winter before the bitter cold began. Therefore, a lot of labor was needed from trimming various vegetables used for kimchi to brining cabbage, making spice paste, mixing, and storing. Therefore, the whole family and neighbors helped each other for the process, where they naturally engage in conversation, and a culture of sharing and eating kimchi together was formed.

In Korea, each region has a different kimjang season starting from November. In the northern regions where temperatures are low, they make kimchi in mid-November, and continues until late December in the southern regions where temperatures are higher. So to say, kimjang is prepared according to local characteristics over the course of a month. There is also a unique way of making kimchi by region. As the temperature is low in the north, kimchi tastes rather bland while in the south is usually salty. Plus, a plate of boiled pork belly (Suyuk) is never missed during kimjang period that people supplement their energy exhausted for hard work with this feast. Honestly, the combination of kimchi and suyuk is hard to express in words after being worn out.

Then when did Korean kimjang culture begin? According to an excerpt of a book called 'Dongguksesigi’ from Joseon Dynasty which records the origins and contents of Korean customs, kimjang is said to be an important one-year plan for the family. In addition, ‘Nongga Walryeong Ga’, a song which describes the monthly tasks and rituals that must be done at farmhouse for a year explains that kimjang should be the first thing to do when the winter begins. The exact time of when kimjang began is unknown, yet it is unquestionably a long-standing tradition and culture of Korea.

 

#More than 100 varieties of kimchi in Korea

The most commonly consumed type of kimchi by Koreans is Baechu-kimchi, which is the most basic kind and widely known in the overseas. The taste is different depending on the ratio of seasoning, fermentation method, and the use of ingredients.

But in Korea, there are more than 100 varieties of kimchi other than baechu-kimchi. Kkakdugi uses crunchy radish as the main ingredient, which distinguishes itself from baechu-kimchi. As it is usually cut into bite-sized pieces, it’s easy to eat. Chonggak-kimchi is made from chonggak radish, and it contains a lot of anchovy jeotgal (salted seafood) and red pepper powder, so it is relatively spicy and strong in taste. Watery Kimchi literally means kimchi that contains a lot of water. The most typical watery kimchi is Dongchimi and Nabak Kimchi. Dongchimi is where entire radish is salted and simmered in boiled watery brine. It is consumed during the winter season, and goes well with porridge, or served with rice cake or steamed sweet potatoes to balance out the rich flavors. Nabak Kimchi uses KIMCHI CABBAGE and radish as the main ingredient, usually eaten at meals, or with light snacks including rice cake, dumpling, and Yaksik (sweet rice with nuts and dates). As such, kimchi is always on the table for Koreans sorted by regions, seasons, and the types of food paired with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Korean Kimchi spreading throughout the world

Kimchi is drawing attention not only at home but also by overseas consumers in the present day. It is currently exported to more than 80 countries, and is gaining popularity in Japan, the United States, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In addition, the exports in China is growing significantly. Of course, the Korean Wave has played a big part in this, but the fact that Kimchi prevents obesity, lowers blood pressure, and suppresses ageing as a fermented food is spotlighted all over the world. The Guardian, a leading British daily newspaper, introduced Kimchi as one of the world's top five healthy foods as it is full of numerous benefits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The types of exported kimchi vary from baechu-kimchi to easy-to-eat small sized matkimchi, and crunchy kkakdugi. Baek-kimchi is not spicy and cucumber-kimchi, which is similar to pickles are also receiving good response from overseas consumers. Recently, 'Kimchi Seasoning Sprinkles', developed by Korea's Food Culture Lab at SIAL India 2019, one of the renowned international food fairs, won the Silver Award for Product Innovation. On top of that, the efficacy and varieties of Korean kimchi is expanding overseas.