KIMCHI/김

치
 NAME : MOHAMAD SYAFIQ BIN HUSNISHAM

MATRIC NO: 123597

KIMCHI/김치

If we want to talk about cultures of a nation, we cant miss one of the cultural parts

that is food. Every countries have their own different food and become attraction for tourists

from all apart of world. Korea has lots of famous food, and among of the food, Kimchi or in

Hangeul as 김치 is the most famous traditional food and icon that well represents Korea or

한국 itself.
 Photo 1 : Kimchi

Korean people can hardly imagine eating meal without kimchi as it proposes as side

dish for almost every meals in Korea. kimchi names also differs depending on the ingredients

used and cabbage, radish or cucumber work as the main ingredient to make kimchi.

Nowadays, there are many variations in recipes and forms over the country as modern people

of Korea try to create something new. In addition, kimchi is well-known worldwide because

of it enormous nutritional values in it and not just limited in Korea only.

HISTORY OF KIMCHI

Back to the past, Korean people are known to have speciality on fermented food. In

Records of the Three Kingdoms, a Chinese historical text (289 AD) mentions that The

Goguryeo/고구려 people (Korean people) are skilled in making fermented foods such as

wine, soybean paste and salted and fermented fish. Humans have been harvesting crops for as

long as we know and in order to preserve the vegetables in the winter, people start to develop
way to keep vegetables fresh by fermenting it. By then, kimchi was introduced in Korea

around the 7th century ago. By the time flies, several spices and seasonings began to use to

make kimchi. Hot pepper was used as one of the main ingredients for making kimchi start in

the 18th century. In fact, kimchi we know in today has always be the same ever since it was

first introduced.

Photo 2: fermenting kimchi at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea.

From the above Photo 2, we can see that the traditional way to ferment and preserve kimchi is

by using huge clay pots or vessel and by the changes of technology today, Kimchi

Refrigerator was designed to replace the old way to preserve kimchi for long period and has

special temperature control system to keep kimchi good and fresh as shown in Photo 3 below.
 Photo 3: Kimchi Refrigerator.

TODAY’S KIMCHI

In each region of Korea has itself kimchi and today there are 200 varieties of kimchi

we can found eventhough they are all the same in process as the vegetables are salted and left

in ferment. kimchi in each region surely show differences on taste and appearance as the

northern region of Korea enjoy to make kimchi with less salt and less Korean chilli powder

and more watery than others because of the weather is colder and longer in winter. Despite

the southern regions love to make kimchi saltier and spicier plus less watery for long lasting

period.

TYPES OF KIMCHI
There are lots of kimchi as mention earlier and below are some of the famous types of kimchi

in Korea.

1. Tongbaechu Kimchi/통배추김치

Tongbaechu kimchi is the most popular kimchi in Korea and usually made during

winter and a must-have dish at every Korean meal. This kimchi is made with a whole

salted cabbage that is uncut and mixed with hot pepper powder, garlic, fish sauce and

other spices, then left for fermenting.

Photo 4: Tongbaechu kimchi.

2. Nabak Kimchi/나박김치

Nabak kimchi is made mainly with cabbages and radishes. It is usually made during

the early months of spring. Using great deal of kimchi stock, it tastes sweeter than

other types of kimchi due to the addition of sliced fruits such as apple and pear. This

kimchi is famous for its refreshing broth.

 Photo 5: Nabak kimchi.

3. Baek Kimchi/백김치

Baek kimchi made without the chili pepper powder and marinated with salt only. This

kimchi has a mild and clean flavour as it ferments, the cabbage releases a refreshing

juice.

Photo 6: Baek kimchi.

4. Oisobagi Kimchi/오이소박이김치
 Oisobagi kimchi is made with seasonings combined with cucumbers that have been

marinated in salt. It is famous for its cold broth and crispness of its crunchy texture.

Photo 7: Oisobagi Kimchi.

5. Dongchimi/동치미김치

Dongchimi is a watery radish kimchi made by pickling whole radishes in salt. This

type of kimchi is put in a crock and buried in the ground. Dongchimi is traditionally

consumed during the winter season.

Photo 8: Dongchimi.

6. Chonggak Kimchi/총각김치
 Chonggak kimchi is made from small turnips. A lot of red pepper powder and

seasonings are used, and it does not spoil easily as it serves the stems still intact.

Photo 9: Chonggak kimchi.

7. Bossam Kimchi/보쌈김치

Bossam kimchi adds pears, muscles, chesnuts and dates to the basic kimchi

seasonings, it is wrapped in a cabbage leaf and served in a bundle. This dish is

generally only prepared on special occasions, such as holidays or parties.

Photo 10: Bossam kimchi.

 8. Kkakdugi/깍두기김치

Kkakdugi is made out of bite-size pieces of white radishes. It goes well with soups

and casseroles. It has all the ingredients of kimchi, but replaced with Korean radish.

Photo 11: Kkakdugi.

There are many variety of kimchi and some of them are as shown above. As kimchi

becoming one of the most celebrated foods for people not only in Korea but all over the

world.

GIMJANG/김장

Gimjang or 김장 is the traditional process of preparation and preservation of kimchi

in the wintertime. From mid-October to late November are marked as a special time of year

known as gimjang season. Families and communities in the countryside and cities made a

practice of gathering together, usually before the first snowfall, to make enough kimchi to last

the winter. Groups of people gather to cut the vegetables, wash them, and add salt and begin
the fermentation process of kimchi. Ingredients are include cabbage, white radish, garlic,

ginger, onion, chilli powder, salt and sugar.

The process of making kimchi is hard as it is challenging to store for long periods. If

kimchi is too cold, it will freeze, and if it is too warm, it will over ferment and become sour.

When the temperatute is below 0 degree celcius, the fermentation is stop and continued again

after the temperature increase during spring time. Gimjang task usually last for 2 to 3 days.

This longlasting tradition is still cherished today and not just by making kimchi but to bring

families together and it’s tradition would never end or die. Gimjang was listed as an

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2013.

 Photo 12: Gimjang tradition.

CONCLUSION

Kimchi is known as famous traditional food of Korea and it is a delicious dish.

Furthermore, it is also a food with several health-benefits as it helps digestion and aids in the

prevention of cancer. Kimchi contains the Korean spirit as some said Kimchi is Korea.

Through the devotion and care it takes to make shows that what Korea is. Today, kimchi

becoming rapidly known food of Korea not only in the country but across the globe as other

people wanted to try and make kimchi on their own.

-THANK YOU-