Kimchi Trivia | 30 facts about the Korean food

One of the most typical, traditional Korean dishes, that the last years has become quite popular worldwide, is by far the kimchi.

Let’s find out more about it!

1. Kimchi is a big part of the Korean cuisine.
2. It is a traditional side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as napa cabbage and Korean radish, made with a widely varying selection of seasonings including gochugaru (chili powder), spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal (salted seafood), etc.
3. It is also used in a variety of soups.
4. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with different vegetables as the main ingredients.
5. Traditionally, kimchi was stored in-ground in large earthenware to prevent the kimchi from being frozen during the winter months.
6. It was the primary way of storing vegetables throughout the seasons.
7. In the summer the in-ground storage kept the kimchi cool enough to slow down the fermentation process.
8. In contemporary times, kimchi refrigerators are more commonly used to store kimchi.
9. Samguk Sagi, a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, also mentions the pickle jar used to ferment vegetables.
10. It indicates that fermented vegetables were commonly eaten during this time.
11. During the Silla dynasty (57 BC – AD 935), kimchi became prevalent as Buddhism caught on throughout the nation and fostered a vegetarian lifestyle
12. At the time, kimchi lacked its signature red color and spice. These elements were added to kimchi much later, about 200 years ago, making today’s most recognizable type of kimchi.
13. There is Kimchi Museum in Kore. Museum Kimchikan in Seoul will walk you through the kimchi story—from its early beginnings to how to make it yourself.
14. There are at least over a hundred different types of kimchi.
15. This is due to varying regions, temperatures, availability of ingredients, and other environmental conditions.
16. Perhaps, the most popular type of kimchi is the cabbage (baechu) and radish (kkakdugi) kimchi, which are widely served in Korea and Korean restaurants around the world.
17. There are specific fridges for kimchi.
18. These special refrigerators maintain a temperature between 0-5 degrees celsius, which is the ideal temperature range for storing kimchi.
19. So, kimchi can actually last up to 3 years
20. South Korea’s first astronaut Yi So Yeon traveled to outer space with kimchi.
21. But this was no ordinary kimchi she brought with her to eat. It was actually a product of extensive research, and South Korea spent millions of dollars to create a type of kimchi that would be suitable for consumption aboard the International Space Station.
22. According to Sandor Katz’s book Wild Fermentation, Koreans eat more than a quarter-pound of kimchi every day.
23. Also, in a separate study by the World Institute of Kimchi, about 57 pounds of kimchi is consumed by Koreans annually.
24. A serving of this fermented side dish is packed with fiber, antioxidants, healthy probiotic bacteria, vitamin C, carotene, iron, calcium, and more!
25. Food experts have been working on engineering the smell out of kimchi
26. It’s not an easy task since it contains a lot of ginger and garlic and taking away the smell could drastically alter the flavor, but experts are trying to figure out a freeze-dried version that offers all the taste and none of the smell.
27. Kimchi juice is an actual thing.
28. Also, the kimchi slap is thing, that went viral after one particular episode of Everybody, Kimchi!- a show that was not very well-known especially internationally, before that kimchi slap.
29. Instead of “cheese,” Koreans sometimes say “kimchi” when taking photos
30. Koreans consume different types of kimchi throughout the year since different foods are in season at different times of the year. Additionally, some kimchis are reserved for special occasions and others are often thought to pair better with certain foods!