Kimchi can be a
little intimidating for the uninitiated, think about it, a little portion of
unidentified stinky and spicy vegetables may be a little off-putting for some,
but the Koreans have been at it for
hundreds of years, and they seem to be doing alright.
Fermentation is one of the best ways of preserving food, by creating the right condition
for good germs to grow we prevent the growth of nasty and harmful ones,
allowing us to keep food for a very long time (the yummy flavors are just a
tasty cherry on top of the cake) this was particularly important in Korea,
where winters can be really harsh and months can go by without fresh produce.
Even today, many
Korean families gather together in November to prepare huge batches of Kimchi
to last the whole winter, in summer, lighter less fermented Kimchis are
prepared and consumed with salads. Kimchi is so embedded in Korean food
culture, that new houses are built and sold with a Kimchi fridge. But hey, I
don’t blame them, it is fucking amazing, it goes great with grilled salty meats
as its sourness cuts the richness and fat of meat, it goes great on the side of
any rice dish, it goes great as part of a nice pork belly stew, it goes great
on top of some korean tacos or why not, just on top of a rice cracker (I
confess I do this more often than not). So hey, why not give it a chance, after
you overcome the funkyness you will discover a nice, complex and delicious
little thing that goes well with everything.
And as it turns out, we are now re-discovering the benefits of fermented foods, apparently Kimchi is great for your gut, aids in digestion and is, a real superfood… but honestly, who gives a fuck when the thing is so goddamn delicious? So, without further ado, and before hipsters ruin it for the rest of us, here is my no fuss Kimchi recipe. Thank me later.
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| Kimchi ready to start fermenting. |
