Ferment

Kimchi

김치

Also called napa cabbage kimchi, baechu kimchi

What it is

Salted, seasoned, fermented vegetables. Baechu cabbage kimchi is the famous one, not the only one.

Origin

Korea.

Flavour

Sour, spicy, garlicky, alive.

How it is made

Salted cabbage fermented with chilli, garlic, ginger, jeotgal in many versions.

How to use it

Eat as banchan, or cook into stews once it is nicely sour. Young kimchi is crunchier; older kimchi is for jjigae.

Storage

Fridge. It keeps fermenting, slowly.

Can you recognise Kimchi?

Ingredient challenge

Questions about Kimchi

From this ingredient's notes in the catalogue — not a chatbot.

What is Kimchi?

Salted, seasoned, fermented vegetables. Baechu cabbage kimchi is the famous one, not the only one.

How do I use Kimchi?

Eat as banchan, or cook into stews once it is nicely sour. Young kimchi is crunchier; older kimchi is for jjigae.

How do I store Kimchi?

Fridge. It keeps fermenting, slowly.

What does it taste like?

Sour, spicy, garlicky, alive.

What allergens should I watch?

Fish, Shellfish. Check the packet in your kitchen.

Nutrition

Per 100g · estimate · USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables. Values are typical, not lab tests of your shopping bag.

Calories 15 kcal

Protein 1.1 g

Carbs 2.4 g

Fat 0.5 g

Allergens: Fish, Shellfish

Heat: Medium heat

Recipes using it

Kimchi jjigae

김치찌개

A bubbling kimchi stew with tofu and pork — the Korean answer to 'what is in the fridge and why is it sour'.

50 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Samgyeopsal

삼겹살

Thick pork belly grilled at the table, wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang, garlic and a bit of rice.

40 minEasyNo chilli

Budae jjigae

부대찌개

Army-base stew: kimchi, spam, sausages and ramyeon in a gochujang broth that refuses to be precious.

40 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Kimchi-jeon

김치전

A sour, lacy kimchi pancake — the fridge-door dinner when the kimchi is too ripe to be polite.

22 minEasy🌶️🌶️

Kimchi-bokkeumbap

김치볶음밥

Kimchi fried rice with a fried egg — the 10-minute argument for keeping sour kimchi and leftover rice.

18 minEasy🌶️🌶️

Mandu

만두

Korean dumplings — pork, tofu and chives in a thin wrapper, steamed, fried, or floated in soup.

1 hrMediumNo chilli

Dubu-kimchi

두부김치

Warm tofu with stir-fried kimchi and pork — a drinking-table plate that is also a real dinner with rice.

25 minEasy🌶️🌶️

Bindae-tteok

빈대떡

Crispy mung-bean pancakes with kimchi or sprouts — market food you eat with a raw onion dip.

4 hr 40 minMediumNo chilli

Seolleongtang

설렁탕

A milky ox-bone broth you season at the table — salt, spring onion, and patience in a bowl.

6 hr 30 minA bit of workNo chilli

Korean ramyeon

라면

Instant noodles cooked like a home cook actually does it: extra garlic, an egg, and kimchi on the side.

13 minVery easy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Air Fryer Egg Rolls

Alternative Pan Fry Method: If you don’t have access to an air fryer, you can make these egg rolls using a traditional pan fry method. Add enough oil to a medium skillet with high walls so the oil is about 1/2 inch up th

52 minA bit of work🌶️

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage from Ireland. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 15 minEasy🌶️

Ham hock colcannon

Ham hock colcannon from Ireland. Times were inferred from the source steps.

30 minMedium🌶️

Jamaican Steamed Cabbage

Jamaican Steamed Cabbage from Jamaica. Times were inferred from the source steps.

35 minA bit of work🌶️🌶️🌶️

Mee goreng mamak

Mee goreng mamak from Malaysia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

31 minA bit of work🌶️

Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimp

Dried shrimp gives this Chinese dish a punch of salty umami flavor. You can find it at an Asian grocery store in the frozen or refrigerated section. Look for small-sized dried shrimp, about a 1/4-inch in size. If you use

2 hr 7 minA bit of work🌶️

Piri-piri chicken and slaw

Piri-piri chicken and slaw from Portugal. Times were inferred from the source steps.

2 hr 50 minA bit of work🌶️

Rosol (Polish Chicken Soup)

Rosol

Rosol (Polish Chicken Soup) from Poland. Times were inferred from the source steps.

2 hr 40 minA bit of work🌶️

Singapore Noodles with Shrimp

Singapore Noodles with Shrimp from China. Times were inferred from the source steps.

34 minA bit of work🌶️

Yaki Udon

Boil some water in a large saucepan. Add 250ml cold water and the udon noodles. (As they are so thick, adding cold water helps them to cook a little bit slower so the middle cooks through). If using frozen or fresh noodl

28 minMedium🌶️