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Kimchi | colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFCCCC" | Kimchi | | colspan="2" | Korean Name | | width="150" | Revised Romanization | width="150" | Gimchi | | width="150" | McCune-Reischauer | width="150" | Kimch'i | | width="150" | Hangul | width="150" | 김치 | | width="150" | Hanja | width="150" | 沈菜 (archaic; see article) | | colspan="2" | | Kimchi or Gimchi or Kimchee is a traditional Korean dish of fermented chili peppers and vegetables, usually based on cabbage. Common ingredients include Chinese cabbage, radish, garlic, red pepper, spring onion, fermented shrimp or other seafood, ginger, salt, and sugar. There are variants, including kaktugi, based on radish and containing no cabbage, and oisobagi, stuffed cucumber kimchi. Kaetnip, or sesame leaf, kimchi features layers of sesame leaves marinated in soy sauce, peppers, garlic, green onions, and other spices. While Kimchi is generally identified internationally as Chinese cabbage fermented with a mixture of red pepper, garlic, ginger, and salted fish sauce (baechu kimchi), several different types of Kimchi exist, including several regional and seasonal variations. It is interesting to note that although baechu kimchi (Chinese cabbage kimchi) has become probably the most well-known of all the varieties of Kimchi amongst those foreign to Korea, as well as the most commonly-served variety within Korea, its was developed in relatively recent times. Chili peppers were only introduced to Korea (by way of Japan) in the early 17th century, and thus Kimchi utilizing red peppers would only have been popularized some years after that (200 years, by one estimate) http://english.tour2korea.com/05food/Introduction/ddt_kimchi01.asp?kosm=m4_1&konum=subm2_1. In addition, the introduction of the Chinese cabbage probably did not occur until the 19th century http://www.kimchi.or.kr/eng/about/history.html, and Kimchi before that would have been made from more indigenous vegetables. Lactobacilli are heavily involved in the fermentation of kimchi, which results in a higher lactic acid content in the final product than in yoghurt. In east Asia, the low number of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome cases in Korea is sometimes attributed to the Korean habit of eating large quantities of kimchi, although no difinitive link between Kimchi consumption and SARS resistance was ever scientifically established. Kimchi is considered to have many healthful properties http://www.ramencity.com/eshop/kimchisars.htm. It is somewhat unusual but Kimchi can be made with western cabbages if Chinese cabbage is not available or if the original one is too heavy for beginners. Then, the taste would be sleeker and lighter. In Korea, Kimchi is often used as an ingredient in cooking as well as a popular side dish, as in KimchiJjiGae (김치찌개/Kimchi soup) and Kimchi Boggeumbab (김치볶음밥/Kimchi fried rice) amongst other dishes. Kimchi means "steeped/submerged vegetable". In US slang, "kimchi" is sometimes used as a euphemism for the word "shit" in the metaphorical sense of "trouble, difficulties". For example "Bob was in deep kimchi". "Kimchi" is used because of its strong odor, which some find offensive. See also External links
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