The Kimchee Cookbook: Fiery Flavors and Cultural History of Korea's National Dish

123 Pages·1999·20.626 MB·English

by  Kim Man-Jo, Lee Kyou-Tae, Lee O-Young

T HE K I M C H EE C 00 K B O O K
The Kimchee Cookbook
The Fiery Flavors and Cultural History of Korea's National Dish
Published by Periplus Editions Ltd
Copyright© 1999 Periplus Editions Ltd
First published by Design House Publishers, Inc, 1997
Publisher: Eric Oey
Editor: Kim Inglis
Food Editor: Foong Ling Kong
Designer: Loretta Reilly Chan
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ISBN: 978-1-4629-0814-1 (ebook)
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the k i m c h ee cookbook
FIERY FLAVORS AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF KOREA'S NATIONAL DISH
BY KIM MAN-JO, LEE KYOU-TAE, LEE O-YOUNG
PERIPLUS
C O N T E N TS
6 THE ORIGINS, HISTORY 40 WINTER KIMCHEE RECIPES 56 SPRING KIMCHEE RECIPES
AND CULTURE OFKIMCHEE Stuffed and Wrapped Vegetable Kimchee, 44 All Season Juicy Kimchee, 58
An introduction to the taste, production Traditional Whole Cabbage Kimchee, 44 Stuffed Crab Shell Kimchee, 58
methods and cultural context of the national Assorted Watery Kimchee, 46 Spring Bellflower Root Kimchee, 60
dish of Korea. Whole Cabbage Watery Kimchee, 47 Wild Lanceolate Root Kimchee, 61
Whole Radish Watery Kimchee,47 Young Whole Garlic Pickle, 62
24 INGREDIENTS Mixed Whole Cabbage and Radish Mulberry Leaf Pickle, 63
Vegetables, seasonings and pickled fish are Kimchee, 49 Semi'Dried Radish Chips, 64
the mainstay of all kimchees; here they are Frozen Pollack Pickle, 49 Korean Watercress Juicy Kimchee, 65
listed and categorized for easy reference. Dried Pollack Kimchee, 51 Chinese Chives with Anchovy Paste, 66
Octopus Kimchee, 51 Hot Spicy Spring Kimchee, 67
28 THE SECRETS OF Squid and Radish Kimchee, 51 Young Spring Scallions Kimchee, 68
MAKING KIMCHEE Stuffed Whole Cod Kimchee, 53 Kitefish Pickle, 69
A brief overview of the fermentation process, Cured Cod with Cabbage and Burdock Root Kimchee, 71
and a consideration of the various stages of Radish Kimchee, 53 Bamboo Shoots Pickle, 71
preparation of kimchee. Practical tips for Wild Lettuce Kimchee, 54
home cooks. Stuffed Whole Radish Kimchee, 55
72 SUMMER KIMCHEE RECIPES 90 AUTUMN KIMCHEE RECIPES 108 YEAR-ROUND KIMCHEE
Fresh Ginseng Kimchee, 74 Fresh Oysters Kimchee, 92 RECIPES
Young Summer Radish Watery Kimchee, 74 Freshly Harvested Autumn Cabbage Pearl Onion Kimchee, 110
Perilla Leaf Rolls, 75 Kimchee, 92 Firm-Headed Cabbage Juicy
Soy Bean Leaf Kimchee, 75 Mixed Vegetable Instant Kimchee, 92 Kimchee, 110
Stuffed Green Tomato Kimchee, 77 Ponytail Radish Watery Kimchee, 94 Stuffed Firm-Headed Cabbage
Stuffed Cucumber Kimchee, 77 Hot Fish-Flavored Kimchee, 95 Kimchee, 110
Stuffed Eggplant Kimchee, 79 Light and Refreshing Festive Autumn Whole Cool and Juicy White Kimchee, 112
Green Hard Persimmon Kimchee, 79 Cabbage Kimchee, 96 Fresh Young Spinach Kimchee, 113
Savoy Cabbage Kimchee, 80 Shredded Radish with Fresh Oysters Cut and Jumbled Cabbage Kimchee, 114
Young Green Leafy Summer Cabbage Kimchee, 97 Young Green Summer Cabbage
Kimchee, 81 Scale-Cut Radish Kimchee, 99 Kimchee, 114
Perilla Kimchee, 83 Stuffed Ponytail Radish Kimchee, 99 Whole Carrot in Rice Bran Pickle, 115
Swiss Chard Kimchee, 83 Refreshing Cubed Radish Kimchee, 99 Fresh Ginger Pickle, 115
Hot and Spicy Cucumber Chunks, 84 Autumn Pumpkin Kimchee, 100 Stuffed Carrot Kimchee, 116
Lotus Roots Pickle, 84 Sweet Potato Vine Pickle, 101 Hot and Spicy Carrot Chunks, 116
Cucumber Juicy Kimchee, 86 King Scallions Kimchee, 102 Cubed Radish Kimchee with Oyster, 117
Wrapped Cucumber Kimchee, 87 Stuffed Whole Squid Kimchee, 103 Firm-Headed Cabbage Kimchee, 119
Whole Cucumber in Brine, 89 Whole Radish in Rice Bran Kimchee, 105 Wrapped Firm-Headed Cabbage
Green Chili Pickle, 89 Autumn Soy Bean Leaves Kimchee, 105 Kimchee, 119
Young( Radish Stems with Anchovy Paste
Kimchee, 105
Whole Cucumber in Rice Bran Kimchee, 106
Fillet of Flounder Kimchee, 106
Whole Radish in Brine, 107
Garlic Cloves Pickle, 107

T HE O R I G I N S, H I S T O RY A ND C U L T U RE OF K I M C H E E
From ancient times to the present day, the fiery flavors of
kimchee have dominated the Korean cultural landscape.
Here we trace the development of the various types of
kimchee, its references in Korean literature, past and
present, and place it in its historical context. Both
as a symbol of Korean cosmology and as an ordinary
item in every household, kimchee is a unique
dish found nowhere else in the world.
the origins, history and culture of kimchee 7
It is generally acknwledged in the West that there are four cardinal tastes: sweet
sour, bitter, and salty. Koreans, however, have an additional one, which they regard
above those, namely, pungency. Pungency is one of the indispensable tastes in
every Korean meal, necessary for stimulating the flow of saliva and the appetite.
The unique pungency of Korean food is the fermented flavor that is found in
pickles (kimchee) and basic Korean condiments such as soybean sauce, soybean
paste and chili paste. This flavor is the result of a kind of 'controlled spoilage'
and is a distinctive characteristic of Korean cuisine,
P r e s e r v i ng Food
Drying was the very first method humans used to preserve foods. Later, they
discovered that foods could also be preserved by salting, and later still, by
fermentation. Although it was possible to store grains and nuts for long periods
without using any of these methods, foods with high moisture content such as
fish, meats, and vegetables could not be kept for any reasonable length of time
without some special method of preservation. With vegetables, drying was not
only difficult to carry out successfully, but also caused the vegetables to lose
their nutritional value and flavor. Once salt was discovered, it was found that
foodstuffs stored in salt both kept well and were good to eat Salting softened
fibers, making the vegetables easier to chew, and induced amino and lactic acid
fermentation. The earliest salt was found in seawater, rock-salt deposits or salt
flats. Later, commercial salt was used.
Since ancient times, Korean people preserved wild vegetables by pickling.
They also developed and mastered the techniques of salting, brining and
fermenting. Once cultivation of vegetables began and herbs and spices were
introduced from abroad, these new ingredients were mixed with existing ones
to create new forms of foods. Such newly introduced vegetables were adapted
to the Korean land and climate, and further developed.
8 the kimchee cookbook