Korea Food - KimChi

An Yeong again to my readers and fellow frens! Well, today my post of this blog is going to saying about the Korea Food which is the most popular food at Korea, KimChi. Kimchi is a thousand year old traditional food at Korea.

A meal without Kimchi is unthinkable for the most Koreans. Despite being fermented all winters long, the cabbage leaves used for this common dish stay fresh and crispy. Moreovers, by being rish in seasoning and having a spic yet sweet taste, KimChi adds a savory flavor to all types of food and is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Howevers, KimChi is not just a flavoful dish, it also contains of numerous healthful properties, including being rich in Vitamins, aiding digestion, and possibly being helpful in preventing various types of cancers. This has resulted in KimChi quickly emerging as one of the most popular dishes in the world. The Korean spirit is embedded in KimChi, and the care and devotion it takes to make this tasty dish is an embodiment of the soul of the entire country.

Kimchi

The Korean making Kimchi in Public during they Lunar Holiday

Fermented food is common worldwide, but the special flavor of fiery spice from KimChi is truly unique to Korea. The main KimChi vegetables include Radish, Korean Cabbage, and cucumber which are soaked in brine and mixed or suffed with seasonings made of red pepper powder, sliced green onions, crushed garlic, ginger and many more seasoning and garnishing options that vary by household and region.Fruits, salted fish and shellfish, or meat may be also be added.

KimChi ingredients and the way KimChi is made also differ by season. In spring time, young Korean cabbage KimChi and sliced radish KimChi will be the season's freshest fermented food. In summer, suffered cucumber KimChi gives a cooling sensation. In late autumn, Koreans prepare enough cabbage KimChi, diced radish KimChi, pony tail young radish KimChi, and watery radish KimChi to last through the winter.

KimChi is dear to the hearts of Koreans and is much more than just another fermented food. Not many Koreans can imagine a dinner table without KimChi.

The history of fermented food dates back 4,000 years but spicy KimChi receipes appeared during the late Joseon period after the arrival of red pepper on the peninsula. Over the last 100 years, Koreans have experimented with over 300 varities of fermentation across the country, differing by family and regional traditional. A family's KimChi specialty is passed down the generations from mother to daughter or from mother - in - law to daughter - in - law, a special pooled by the wisdom of ages. Making tasty KimChi has often been used as a yardstick for judging a housewife's ability to handle domestic affairs. When women marry, they devote thier efforts to creating a KimChi that has a distinctive taste yet is palatable to everyone.

KimChi is being recognized by people worldwide. Today, cargo ships deliver KimChi to the shores of five continents and foreign visitors to Korea show a growing interest in tasting KimChi and learning how to make it too.

They have 8 types of KimChi :

1. Tongbaechu KimChi - Chinese cabbage KimChi which is the most common KimChi in Korea. It is usually made during winter and is included im every Korean meal.
2.  Nabak KimChi - The primary ingredients of Nabak KimChi (Radish Water KimChi) are radishes and cabbages. It is usually made during the early months of Spring and is popular for its cold and invigorating broth.
3. Baek KimChi - Red pepper powder is not an ingredients in Baek KimChi (White KimChi), instead it is marinated in salt. This causes the cabbages to release a refreshing juice during fermentation.
4. Oisobagi - A stuffed cucumber KimChi that made with various seasonings, that are stuffed in cucumbers marinated in salt and is known for its refreshing broth.
5. Dongchimi - A Watery radish KimChi is made of using radishes that are pickled in salt. It is placed in a crock and buried in the ground. People enjoy its brisk taste.
6. Chonggak KimChi - A whole radish KimChi is made from small turnips with a lot of red pepper powder and seasoning. This KimChi does not sour easily, even during summer.
7. Bossam KimChi - A wrapped KimChi made by adding pears, mussels, chestnuts and dates to KimChi seasoning. It is wrapped in a cabbage leaf and served in a bundle.
8. Kkakdugi - A diced radish KimChi which is a bite - sized cube of white radish, is easy to make and goes well with soups and casseroles, such as seolleongtang (ox bone soup) or haejangguk (a spicy soup for hangovers).

Now, I am going to tell that how to make KimChi:

First step (cutting) - making KimChi is to split the cabbages in half. Start cutting at the root of the cabbage and only cut halfway, and then use your hands to split the rest. This will avoid making little pieces of cabbage. Prepare the following ingredients: Dried red pepper flakes, spring onions, radishes, carrots, onions, dropworts, pears, anchovy or shrimp sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, oysters, sesame seeds, and coarse salt.

Second Step (Marinating) - Sprinkle coarse salt evenly between all the cabbages leaves. After about 10 minutes, immerse the cabbage in a container of salted water. Let the cabbage soak for 6 hours, turning it occasionally about 10 times during the process.

Third Step (Rinsing) -Rinse the salted cabbage at least twice and let it drainfor about 2 -3 hours. It is important not to salt the cabbage too much. Ideally, the leaves should remain slightly crispy. If the process is overdone, the spicy seasonings will not be fully absorbed.

Fourth Step (Filling) - Cut each ingredients as directed, finely chop garlic and ginger, and puree pears. For the filling, combine shrimp sauce, anchovy sauce, ginger, oyster, salt, sugar, pureed pears and red pepper flakes and mix.

Fifth Step (KimChi) - Coat each cabbage half with ab appropriate amount of filling, making sure it gets between each leaf. To give it s nutty flavor, sprinkle some sesame seedson each cabbages half and stack them in a container. If you want freshly made KimChi, you can eat it underfermented, or if you want to use it in KimChi stew or KimChi pancakes, let it ferment for 2 - 3 days in a cool area or in the refrigerator.

**THE END**

**Hope you enjoy my KimChi blog**

**XOXO**

**GOD BLESS**