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Korean Kimchi's

Kimchi is probably one of the many foods that come to mind when you think of Korean flavors and cuisine. Kimchi, on the other hand, is much more than a fermented mixture of fiery red cabbage leaves. Kimchi is a type of side dish made from pickled and fermented vegetables that comes in a variety of flavors and textures.Although historians disagree on when exactly kimchi originated, the tradition of making kimchi arose from the need to preserve vegetables during the harsh winter months in Korea when fresh produce was scarce. As a result, vegetables were salted, stored in earthenware, and buried to ferment and preserve. On The Gas also mentions that, while kimchi makers used salt for preservation, it was also added to aid carb digestion in the carb-heavy Korean diet.According to On The Gas, the iconic hot red kimchi is a relatively new invention, a result of Korea's 16th-century war with Japan, during which the spicy red pepper was introduced under the guise of Japanese mustard. This is possibly why there are chili-free, watery varieties of kimchi.Needless to say, kimchi varieties extend far beyond the commonly assumed fermented mixture of red chilies and cabbage. You might be surprised to learn that some types of kimchi do not require fermentation at all!

Cut Radish KimchiWhereas baechu kimchi necessitates a time-consuming process of making rice and gochugaru slurry for layers of Napa cabbage soaked in salt brine, kkakdugi, or radish kimchi, is a more approachable variety of the fermented side dish. According to Serious Eats, all you need to do to make kkakdugi is chop radishes into chunks and massage them with a salt and gochugaru mix. Kkakdugi, for example, does not require a salt pre-soaking. Instead, according to the website, water will sweat from the salted root. The radish contains enough water to produce brine for fermentation.Though daikon radish can be used to make kimchi, many people prefer the Korean moo radish when making kkakdugi (via The Subversive Table). The firm radish, with a subtly sweet flavor, adds crunch, juice, and tooth to kkakdugi. Some people prefer to make this kimchi in the late autumn months, during the radish harvest season in Korea (via Familymart). This time of year, radishes are firmer and sweeter than usual, which some belief makes the best kkakdugi.

Chonggak KimchiChonggak kimchi is made from a strange vegetable called chonggak or chonggakmu (via Familymart). With small, round, curvy bulbs attached to long green steams, these radishes resemble a topknot, so they're also known as ponytail radishes, according to Taste Atlas. According to Beyond Kimchee, single men in Korea used to tie their hair in long braids similar to the shape of ponytail radishes in ancient cultural practices. When they married, the bachelors wore a bun to represent the shape of the white bulb. This is why Chong AK kimchi is also referred to as bachelor's kimchi!According to Beyond Kimchee, Chong AK kimchi typically takes one week to ferment. Despite soaking in tangy juices for a longer period, ponytail radishes retain their crunch particularly well. If you can't find these radishes, any other radish of similar size will suffice — think red radish, for example. The following steps are listed in a recipe from a cooking website: After the radishes have soaked in salt for a few minutes, tie the stems together. Each bulb is then coated in a kimchi paste made of rice flour, fish sauce, gochugaru, Peugeot, garlic, and ginger. After the fermentation period, the Chong AK kimchi is ready to eat!

Radish Leave KimchiPa kimchi, also known as green onion kimchi, is a simple dish to prepare. Pa kimchi is typically made and consumed during the spring months when the Korean green onion known as jjokpa is in season (via Familymart). Joppa is a green onion that is thinner than most, with dark leaves and small white bulbs at the end. However, if you are unable to locate this variety.According to Korean Bapsang, pa kimchi is also flavored with fish sauce and gochugaru, as well as sugar, garlic, and ginger. Maren ojingeo or dried squid are sometimes added to spice, create umami, and add a chewy texture to contrast the crunch of the green onion. Fish sauce can also be substituted for soy sauce in vegan Korean dishes. The Korean Herald reports that after rubbing the green onions in the spice mixture, they can be tied together using their long stems for easier storage and eating.

Gat KimchiGat kimchi is made from the Jeolla Do mustard leaf, which is named after the Jeolla Do province in Korea where it is grown (via Familymart). The large and rough purplish Jeolla Do mustard leaves are crunchy and have a slightly bitter and loamy flavor, similar to kale. While these mustard leaves are commonly used to make gat kimchi, peppery Chinese mustard greens (or gai choy) can also be used. According to this recipe, the Gai Choy with wide, luscious stems is the one to use for gat kimchi.My Kitsune Cafe recommends soaking the mustard greens in saltwater brine first, just like the Napa cabbage used to make baechu kimchi. livecasinofood The rice flour slurry is then combined with the three aromatic kimchi ingredients — gochujang, fish sauce, and Peugeot — as well as vegetables like carrots, chives, and scallions. The vegetable-spice paste is carefully applied to each mustard green leaf before fermenting until the flavors become pungent and acidic. My Kitsune Cafe recommends gat kimchi with meats and stews, as it does with most cabbage kimchi.