When SARS hit last
year, particularly in East
Asia, many wondered why the
Koreans remained relatively
unscathed. There were no reported
cases of SARS
in Korea, while China
and other Asian nations were plagued by
the deadly disease.
Although there is no
scientific proof, kimchi is believed by many
to have played a role in keeping Koreans
from
catching SARS. Kimchi’s rich
ingredients and special fermentation
process are thought to be
good not
only from a nutritional
standpoint,
but also effective in
preventing
diseases. It is not surprising
that
sales of kimchi have
surged in China
and other parts of
East Asia after the
SARS outbreak,
as consumers race to
stock up on
that pickled vegetable
mainly to
avoid the disease.
Kimchi is the most
famous Korean
food.
It is the general
term given
to a
group of fermented
vegetables
found in Korea and,
along with
rice, has been
traditionally viewed
as a “must-have”
with almost
every meal. Kimchi is an
excellent
example of how vegetables like
Chinese cabbages and radishes can
be stored
for a long time in an
ordinary household, especially
during cold winter months when
fresh vegetables are difficult to
find.
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There are four
basic steps
in making
kimchi.
The
first step is to salt Chinese cabbages
and radishes. Second, you
have to wash the salted vegetable
with fresh water. The next step is
to add spices and seasonings such
as red hot pepper, garlic, fish
sauce and ginger. The fourth and
final step is to store the spiced
vegetables in a cool place for a few
days. This process lets the vegetables
undergo a process of naturally
mixed lactic acid fermentation.
Traditionally, kimchi was stored
in big jars buried underground.
Today, specially designed refrigerators
have been introduced to
keep kimchi fresh for
months.
The origin of
kimchi may be the
Chinese pickle.
Chinese pickles were introduced
to Korea and modified to form
several types of kimchi that were
made of common raw ingredients
suited to the taste of Koreans during
the Shilla and Koryo dynasties.
Until the Koryo dynasty,
radishes were the main vegetables
in kimchi, though cucumbers, eggplants
and green onions were also
used at that time. Whole-cabbage
kimchi and other kimchi prepared
with red hot pepper became popular
after the middle of the Yi
dynasty. Peppers were imported
to Korea in the early 17th century,
and the first record of them being
used as an ingredient in kimchi
dates back to 1766. 
Kimchi generally has a sour,
sweet and carbonated taste. It is
very different from sauerkraut,
which is a popular fermented vegetable
dish in the West. Many different
kimchi recipes have been
published, and fermentation
methods for making kimchi vary
from region to region. As a result,
different types of kimchi taste different.
Despite the uniqueness of
every kind of kimchi, the basic
taste is derived from salt, lactic
acid fermentation of vegetables,
spices (including hot red pepper,
garlic, ginger and green onion)
and pickled fish or fresh seafood.
Fermentation of kimchi is carried
out by the various microorganisms,
especially lactic acid bacteria,
which are already present in
the ingredients. The lactic acid
increases and overpowers other
microorganisms by producing lactic
acid. As a result of this, correctly
fermented kimchi contains
higher amounts of lactic acid bacteria
and lactic acid than dairy-fermented
products such as yogurt.
The organic acids in kimchi are
mainly formed by the conversion
of sugars in the raw materials during
fermentation. The physiological
properties of the microorganisms
involved in kimchi fermentation
and the content of fermentable
sugars in the raw materials
affect the production of organic acids quantitatively and
qualitatively. The organic acids
and viable lactic acid bacteria have
been shown to be effective in controlling
human intestinal microflora.
During the fermentation of
kimchi, sugar components are dissolved
slowly and leached from
the tissue. Sugars are not only
nutritionally important, but are
also key taste components. Kimchi
is an important source of eight vitamins,
carotene and ascorbic acid.
Dietary fiber, as well as ascorbic
acid, carotene, extract of red pepper
and extract of garlic,
used as ingredients
in kimchi, are
believed to suppress
the formation
of carcinogenic
or mutagenic
components, and
to inhibit mutagenicities
induced by
several carcinogens
/mutagens. Also, dietary fiber
in kimchi helps to prevent constipation
and control intestinal
microflora. Calcium and phosphorus
are major minerals in kimchi.
The lipid content of kimchi is very
low, so it is considered a lowcaloric
food. It has been reported
that factors in the fermented cabbage
of kimchi inhibit the synthesis
of enzymes, which mediate the
conversion of procarcinogens to
proximal carcinogens involved in
colon cancer.
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According to a survey, there
are nearly 200 different types of
kimchi. The type of kimchi varies
according to vegetables, spices
and other ingredients used and
preparation methods. Since the
northern part of Korea has colder
winters than the southern region,
winter kimchi in the north contains
less salt, whereas its counterpart
prepared in the south
requires more salt for preservation.
Also, people living near the
coast tend to add seafood. Kimchi
can be divided into two basic categories:
winter kimchi and seasonal
kimchi. Winter kimchi includes
whole-cabbage kimchi, wholeradish
kimchi, “pony-tail” kimchi
and diced-radish kimchi. Winter
kimchi is prepared in early winter
and lasts throughout the season
until spring vegetables are available.
In recent years, however,
vegetables are available all year
round thanks to greenhouse farming,
so it is no longer necessary to
prepare a large stock of kimchi to
last the whole winter. There are
many types of seasonal kimchi
depending upon the availability of
certain vegetables. In the spring,
young cabbage and sliced-radish
kimchi have a refreshing taste.
Cucumber kimchi and baby radish
kimchi are the most popular during
the summer. In autumn,
whole-cabbage kimchi, dicedradish
kimchi and “pony-tail”
kimchi are common.
The writer is a journalist based in Seoul.
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