Many articles have touched on the history of kimchi which has alleged roots of 3,000 years when cucumbers and other vegetables were chopped, marinated and fermented. I saw an interesting Korean history show recently which noted soy sauce was used before there was salt and some still prefer that as the key ingredient.
However, it was not until the Japanese invasions of Korea of 1592–1598 (Imjin War) that the famous hot serrano chili pepper is believed to have been imported through trade (tobacco and other products) from Portugal and introduced to the Korean peninsula. Other records note the type of red pepper used in making kimchi was cultivated on the Korean peninsula well before this time (The Chapter of Dongyi in the Book of Wei, the records of the Three Kingdoms).
This revolutionized Korean cuisine and led to the more recent type of kimchi which in simplest form would contain garlic, ginger, green onions, salt or soy sauce, and dried red pepper powder mixed as a paste with various types of cabbage, radish, zucchini, cucumbers, or many other vegetables. Further, it provided a nutritious vegetable and nutrient source during the harsh winters when crops would not grow. Often, kimchi was stored in large clay pots (옹기) at grade and sometimes buried in the ground. The most prolific type of kimchi starts with a large Napa cabbage.
Kimchi was also made in large batches in communities all over. Through teamwork, it was much faster to do it this way and could be shared within villages or city neighborhoods. This concept is called kimjang (김장) or kimchi making for the winter season. The level of kimjang decreased somewhat with the large rise in apartment construction in the 1970s as there was less yard space for salting the cabbage outside, but it is still a common practice in a group setting and individual level.
For many Koreans, kimjang creates a sense of identity and is an important tradition to be done every year so it can be shared with the next generation. It is a unique way to make food and rather ingenious when you think about it the slow fermentation process which adds flavor slowly over time creating a rich, complex flavor profile.
I have been honing my skills in growing a large white Korean radish and making cubed radish kimchi (깍두기) with it. A key ingredient in this type of kimchi is a good quality and tiny salted shrimp (새우젓). The growing season where I live even with mounding the soil late in the season can end sometimes in mid to late November. When I know a hard frost is coming, I pull my radishes and put them in covered buckets in the garage where they last until early March. I adapted this concept from what I have seen in Korea and applied it with what I had readily available. My wife appreciates the authentic taste and the connection to her homeland.
So I leave you with the notion that innovation can come during times of hardship or strife. How will we adapt for the better from this pandemic now or in the future and to help one another in building bridges and stronger communities, not walls? I ask myself that often and am hopeful on what is to come. Make your circle larger...
Written by Vincent L. Apa III for Korea.net
January 31, 2021