| Revision as of 05:09, 28 December 2006 editMelonbarmonster (talk | contribs)2,379 edits →Composition: cabbage kimchi is insignificant and totally irrelevant to this section that already mentions the most popular varieties with the mention of 187 varieties.← Previous edit | Revision as of 14:23, 28 December 2006 edit undo81.225.244.23 (talk) →HistoryNext edit → | ||
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| A cookbook from 1670 describes pickled mixtures of wild greens and pickled gourd melons, but makes no reference to the use of chilis. One historical record from the end of the 17th century describes eleven types of kimchi and thus kimchi utilizing red peppers would have been popularized some years after that (200 years, by one estimate) . In addition, the introduction of Chinese cabbage probably did not occur until the 19th century ; before that, kimchi was made from indigenous vegetables. | A cookbook from 1670 describes pickled mixtures of wild greens and pickled gourd melons, but makes no reference to the use of chilis. One historical record from the end of the 17th century describes eleven types of kimchi and thus kimchi utilizing red peppers would have been popularized some years after that (200 years, by one estimate) . In addition, the introduction of Chinese cabbage probably did not occur until the 19th century ; before that, kimchi was made from indigenous vegetables. | ||
| kimchi... make me sooo horny.... oh god. kimchi! take me! | |||
| == Composition == | == Composition == | ||
Revision as of 14:23, 28 December 2006
- This article refers to the traditional Korean dish. For the family of scholars known as Kimchi, Qimchi and Kimhi, see the article on Qimchi.
Template:Koreanname Kimchi, also spelled gimchi or kimchee, is a traditional Korean dish of fermented vegetables seasonsed with chili peppers and salt.
The word's archaic pronunciation was chim-chae (Hangul: 침채; Hanja: 沈菜), meaning "steeped/submerged vegetable". However, since the pronunciation's change, kimchi is no longer associated with its original Hanja.
In Korea, kimchi is served with most regular meals, and is also used as an ingredient in cooking, including kimchi jjigae (kimchi soup), kimchi bokkeumbap (kimchi fried rice), and other dishes. Kimchi is also very popular in China, Japan, and in the eastern-most regions of Russia (especially Sakhalin island), where the dish is still known by its archaic name chim-chae (Russian: чим ча).
Though there are hundreds of variations, most types of kimchi tend to have a strong, spicy, tangy flavour and odor.
History
Early forms of kimchi consisted mainly of salted greens. Chili peppers, now a standard ingredient in kimchi, were unknown in Korea until the early 17th century, when they were introduced from Japan or China, where they had been introduced by western traders. Traditionally, kimchi was fermented in pots buried in the ground, to serve as a winter subsistence staple when fresh vegetables were not available.
A cookbook from 1670 describes pickled mixtures of wild greens and pickled gourd melons, but makes no reference to the use of chilis. One historical record from the end of the 17th century describes eleven types of kimchi and thus kimchi utilizing red peppers would have been popularized some years after that (200 years, by one estimate) . In addition, the introduction of Chinese cabbage probably did not occur until the 19th century ; before that, kimchi was made from indigenous vegetables.
kimchi... make me sooo horny.... oh god. kimchi! take me!
Composition
The basic ingredient is usually Napa cabbage (배추, baechu) and/or white radish (무, mu), seasoned with chili pepper (빨간고추, ppalgangochu), garlic, scallion, ginger, salt, and sugar. Seafood-based seasoning is often added, such as oyster or anchovy-based broth (젓갈, jeotgal).
While the most popular type of kimchi is the Napa cabbage variety, countless different types exist, including regional and seasonal varieties. Popular variants include kkakdugi (깍두기), based on cubed radish without cabbage, and oi sobaegi (오이소배기), stuffed cucumber kimchi. Kkaennip (깻잎) kimchi features layers of perilla leaves marinated in soy sauce and other spices. The Kimchi Field Museum in Seoul has documented 187 historic and current varieties of kimchi.
Lactobacilli are heavily involved in the fermentation of kimchi, which results in a higher lactic acid content in the final product than in yoghurt.
Health effects
Kimchi has been cited by Health Magazine as one of the world's five "healthiest foods," with the claim that it is rich in vitamins, aids digestion, and may even prevent cancer. The health properties of kimchi are due to a variety of factors. Kimchi is usually made with cabbage, onions, and garlic, all of which have well-known health benefits. Kimchi also has active and beneficial bacterial cultures, like yogurt. Lastly, kimchi contains liberal quantities of hot pepper, which has been suggested to have health benefits as well.
The low number of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) cases in Korea is sometimes attributed to the Korean habit of eating large quantities of kimchi, although no definitive link has been established . There is some evidence that indicates that kimchi may be used to treat avian influenza in birds.
Some studies have linked its consumption to a reduced risk of gastric cancer, but other studies have linked consumption of certain types of kimchi (containing radish) to an increased cancer risk. . The high nitrate salt concentrations in fermented Korean foods, such as kimchi and soybean pastes, have been suggested as a possible cause. However, talc, an irritant used in white rice in both countries has been posed as a possible alternative cause.
Trivia
- Most Koreans store kimchi in a separate refrigerator that are designed to keep kimchi at an optimal temperature for proper fermentation.
- When taking photographs, South Koreans often say the word "kimchi" in much the same way English speakers would use the word "cheese".
- The South Korean Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) are hoping to have the first Korean in space to experiment with kimchi while aboard the Russian-manned space ship Soyuz. KARI has developed a space-safe kimchi recipe by sterilizing the food with radion blasts, heat, freezing and packaging.
See also
- Korean cuisine
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of English words of Korean origin
- Sauerkraut
- Fermentation
References
- Lee, Iksop. (2000). The Korean Language. (transl. Robert Ramsey) Albany, NJ: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-4831-2
- "고추". Encyclopedia of Korean national culture. Retrieved 2006-12-09.
- "World's Healthiest Foods: kimchi". Health Magazine. Retrieved 2006-03-30.
- "Korean dish 'may cure bird flu'". BBC World. Retrieved 2006-01-18.
External links
- Korean traditional kimchi
- Korea National Tourism Organization's Kimchi page
- Kimchi Field Museum, Seoul
- Korea Food Research Institute
- ZenKimchi's History of Kimchi
- Kimchi and soybean pastes are risk factors of gastric cancer