Popular Korean-American dishes that can be made using different types of Kimchi
A type of banchan (side dish in Korean), Kimchi is a term used for vegetable dishes that have been salted, seasoned, and fermented.
Thanks to social media that has made it possible to learn about new cultures and foods from around the world, the South Asian cuisine, especially South Korean culture, has gained a lot of popularity in recent items. One of the most popular South Korean dishes is kimchi which has several food influencers trying their hand at making and eating it. A type of banchan (side dish in Korean), Kimchi is a term used for vegetable dishes that have been salted, seasoned, and fermented.
While it is an age-old dish, a recent survey ranked Kimchi as the most confusing dish that people have come across, with almost a million searches looking to find out and understand more more about the Korean dish.
The rise in popularity of Kimchi can be seen as South Korea’s exports of kimchi have increased by 10% through October this year and are anticipated to hit a record level for all of 2023, reported Yonhap. Outbound shipments of kimchi came to US$130 million over the January-October period, rising from US$118.6 million tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service.
Here are different types of kimchis that can be made:
Radish kimchi
Kkakdugi is a kimchi made of radish & gets its name from the sound that is caused when dicing the vegetables. It is served along with stews & meat dishes as it masks the smell and taste of the dish. It also aids in digestion. It tastes best when it is allowed to ferment for at least 2 weeks.
Nappa cabbage
One of the most popular & traditional ways of making kimchi, baechu kimchi (nappa cabbage kimchi) can be atime-consuming process. The cabbage is salted to draw out all the moisture and then rinsed with water and chopped. some varieties of this kimchi also use wedges of the cabbage. A mixture of puréed apples or Chinese pears is made with gochugaru, gochujang, andfish sauce and spread to each cabbage leaf. Placed in an air-tight container, the cabbage is allowed to ferment and then placed in the fridge for the flavours to further develop.
Cucumber kimchi
Unlike other kimchis, Oi Kimchi (cucumber kimchi) can be made in a pinch, as it is a quick recipe that can be whipped up when you are craving this fermented dish but don't have it at hand. It is It's crunchy yet refreshing and can be eaten noodles or rice as it adds a tang and spice from the garlic, rice vinegar, fish sauce and korean chilli peppers.
Here are a few popular dishes that can be made with kimchi:
Kimchi jjigae
Known as amilitary stew, this dump & cook dish has a sordid history as it was created to stave off hunger in Korea after the American-Korean war. It was made with shelf-stable ingredients that was found in the American military bunkers after the soldiers had left the country. It’s a mixture of Korean ingredients like gochujang, kimchi, gochugaru, silken tofu, andsesame oil along with American items like ramen noodles & spam. Cook together & serve with rice.
Kimchi fried rice
Stirring up a wok of fried is the perfect use for day-old rice. Along with the usual ingredients - eggs, the white of the green onion, carrots, andbeans - add chopped-up kimchi as well. Toss the rice together with some of the kimchi juice along with some soya sauce & white pepper & serve it hot with a fried egg, a sprinkle of sesame seeds & chopped green onions.
Kimchi grilled cheese
A Korean-American classic that was trending on social media earlier this year, a kimchi grilled cheese is a surprising match as adding the tangy kimchi made of nappa cabbage can elevate your sandwich. Use thick slices of sourdough bread & generously spread some cream cheese on it. You can then layer the grated cheese of your choice and cheddar, mozzarella or Munster, which can also be paired together for an extra gooey texture. Finely chop the kimchi and squeeze out most of its juice before adding it to your sandwich & adding more cheese. Spread mayonnaise on both sides of the bread & toast it till golden brown.