There’s a range of fermentation. Some like the fairly fresh type, which can be found at BCD restaurants; most eat a moderately fermented type. Once it goes stale, it turns somewhat sour and works best for frying rice with, as mentioned above. Kkakdugi (the giant radish version of kimchi) is also excellent, though it doesn’t fry as well once it gets old. If you buy yours from a store, be sure to look at the ingredients. Some brands get packed with MSG for some inscrutable reason.
If you’re unaccustomed to spicy food, please consume in moderation. It took me about three months of regularly eating Korean food before I could properly digest all the pepper.
Aw man, I am so hungry now. Kimchi jjigae is one of my favorite soups. It is so awesome. The side dishes that come with Korean food are known as panchan (preview edit: I see teela brown mentions that), for those keeping score. I also love that kimchi that’s made with turnips. It’s all soooooo good.
My very favorite meal is a good kimchi jjigae bek ban, but to be really good it has to have kim (laver seaweed). Restaurants generally don’t supply this, so I bring my own. 너무 맛이 있어요.
I grew up in Hawaii and miss being able to go to the store and pick from several varieties of kimchi. I really miss Hamm’s mustard cabbage one.
My mom makes the most amazing dish with kimchi (maybe I’ve posted about it before). She takes lotus root and slices it into maybe half-inch pieces. Then she mixes up some ground sirloin, kimchi, maybe some diced green onion, and mashes it around the lotus root and into all the holes so it forms a patty. Then she dredges it in flour and egg and pan-fries it up. Serve with hot rice and OMG.
I also make a sort of Korean kimchi mess with beef (either ground or in strips), watercress, bean sprouts, egg, onion, and kimchi with a little sesame oil and eat that over rice.
My wife is Korean, so I have been introduced to all sorts of Korean foods. We both love the really spicy and I’ve tried a wide range of good stuff.
I do like kimchi a lot. Mainly the cabbage varieties, but also something else she calls “water kimchi.” I am not a fan of the radish kimchi, although I can take a bite or two. Something about the crunch.
But here’s the main thing. I really prefer it cold. Striaght from the fridge. Cooking it into a dumpling or “Korean pancake” is okay, but I do not like the hot kimchi stew at all. Hot and soggy = not good. Cold and crisp = great.
My wife will make it on occassion, but with a huge variety of Korean markets in our area, it is easier to buy it. Like posted above, most of the Korean supermarkets make it right there on the premisis and you buy it is bags. The pre-jarred stuff is good also. I am amazed at all the different varieties. Some of the differences are big and some are subtle. It’s very interesting.
My wife says there is a traditional Korean saying that translates something like “Without the kimchi there is no life.” That must be true, as she and her friends will eat it breakfast/lunch/dinner.
There’s a district in Santa Clara, California called Little Korea, and consists of several Korean restaurants and supermarkets. One supermarket is Han Kook, a huge and fascinating place I love to visit. They have a panchan or kimchi bar - something that looks a little like a steam table buffet and which presents a bewildering variety of pickled vegetables from which you make your selection. They provide little plastic take-away containers, so if you only want a taste of some varieties, you can do that. I remember some kickass kimchi made from little whole baby white turnips with their tops still attached, and some rather gamey oyster kimchi.
I’m there! It has universal great reviews and is said to be there since 1948. It’s now on my Google Maps. It’s easier to Google if you call it “Hankook Supermarket”. Now I have to get me a bulgogi grill and I’m set!
I buy almost my groceries at my local Hankook supermarket. Besides the sidedish bar, they also make great kimbap (Korean sushi) and some hot dishes. They have a good selection of whole fish and pre-marinated kalbi and bulgogi. If you go at a busy time (like weekend afternoons) there’ll be samples of lots of Korean foods you can try on the spot.
The only things I buy at Ralph’s are things Koreans don’t typically eat (and so HK doesn’t have a good selection): tomatoes, milk, yoghurt.
The Santa Clara Hankook had a sizeable small appliance section, and stocks plenty of things like rice cookers. I’m betting if anyone carries a grill, they would.
Thanks for the idea, audiobottle. I made kimchi fried rice with spam and it was delicious. I didn’t even wait for the kimchi to get too sour, I just went for it. Talk about comfort food! Now, I just have to find some 18 year old Korean girls to adopt so I can make it for them.
Ah, yes, the Spam. I don’t know what I would have eaten as a child without it. Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam…
For the kimchi fried rice, I really recommend you fry the kimchi before adding the rice and stuff. Otherwise you’ll end up with fried rice with kimchi in it, which is good, but different from kimchi fried rice.
You guys might already know this, but in case you were curious, Han kook (or Hangook, or Hanguk, or whatever) just means “Korea” in Korean.
This weekend I’m having samgyubsal, kimchi jjigae, and soju with some of my classmates. If you haven’t had samgyubsal (삼겹살 ) go get it. Make sure you have soju (소주 - Probably the most consumed alcoholic liquid in Korea) with it too. Mmm… I can’t wait.
