The semester has ended and the count down is on! Six days and I'm on a plane! Before I take a time-out from Korea though I have a few more things to share...
While North Americans are preparing their turkeys, anticipating football games, and scoping out their game-plan for "Black Friday", Koreans (more accurately, Korean women) are getting ready for one of the most important tasks in preparation for winter, 김치를 담그다 or kimchi making!
Just about every family makes their own kimchi, using their own "secret" recipe. They may make it several times a year, but the main time is late November to early December. It happens at this time of year mainly for historical reasons. Years ago, before refrigerators, kimchi would be made in mid to late December when the temperatures reached freezing so that they could safely store and enjoy the kimchi throughout the winter months when fresh vegetables couldn't be found. Traditionally it was kept in huge clay pots stored underground, but of course things have changed. Kimchi is now usually stored in a special kimchi refrigerator (trust me, it starts to smell after a certain age) and it can be made earlier, when the weather is a bit warmer. Though the time and storage have changed, I believe the rest of the process is about the same. Women of a family gather or women and their friends gather and take on anywhere from 50 -100+ cabbages in a day, and we aren't talking little heads of cabbage, these are napa cabbages, which are considerably bigger. To put it in perspective, they quarter them to make them manageable for the kimchi making process. I've been lucky enough to partake in this tradition a few times, so here's how it's done...
It's actually a three day process. I've only taken part in the third day, but from what I understand, this is what happens... The first day you clean and quarter the cabbage then set it to soak in salt water so that it pickles. The second day you set the cabbage to drain. Then comes the third day...
On the third day you...
1. Make the red pepper paste. The basic recipe includes: red pepper, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, salt, rice paste, carrot, onion, leek, etc.
2. Put your gloves on and spread the paste on each individual leaf. Yes, every single leaf gets individual love and care :)
3. Wrap up the cabbage and put it in a container. Wait a day or two for it to ferment and enjoy! Of course, eat some while you're making it also. In my opinion, fresh kimchi is the best.
My Korean cooking, with fresh kimchi...
While North Americans are preparing their turkeys, anticipating football games, and scoping out their game-plan for "Black Friday", Koreans (more accurately, Korean women) are getting ready for one of the most important tasks in preparation for winter, 김치를 담그다 or kimchi making!
Just about every family makes their own kimchi, using their own "secret" recipe. They may make it several times a year, but the main time is late November to early December. It happens at this time of year mainly for historical reasons. Years ago, before refrigerators, kimchi would be made in mid to late December when the temperatures reached freezing so that they could safely store and enjoy the kimchi throughout the winter months when fresh vegetables couldn't be found. Traditionally it was kept in huge clay pots stored underground, but of course things have changed. Kimchi is now usually stored in a special kimchi refrigerator (trust me, it starts to smell after a certain age) and it can be made earlier, when the weather is a bit warmer. Though the time and storage have changed, I believe the rest of the process is about the same. Women of a family gather or women and their friends gather and take on anywhere from 50 -100+ cabbages in a day, and we aren't talking little heads of cabbage, these are napa cabbages, which are considerably bigger. To put it in perspective, they quarter them to make them manageable for the kimchi making process. I've been lucky enough to partake in this tradition a few times, so here's how it's done...
It's actually a three day process. I've only taken part in the third day, but from what I understand, this is what happens... The first day you clean and quarter the cabbage then set it to soak in salt water so that it pickles. The second day you set the cabbage to drain. Then comes the third day...
On the third day you...
1. Make the red pepper paste. The basic recipe includes: red pepper, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, salt, rice paste, carrot, onion, leek, etc.
 |
| Most of the ingredients |
 |
| Mix them all together |
 |
| Keep mixing! |
 |
| Applying the red pepper paste. |
 |
| Finished kimchi |
My Korean cooking, with fresh kimchi...
That's all I've really got. Here are a couple articles if you have a few minutes to procrastinate. See most of you very soon!
South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)..the entire country pauses...
Canada gives asylum to gay Korean
