Korean kimchi: promoting healthy meals through cultural tradition Nobuko Hongu, Angela S. Kim, Asuka Suzuki, Hope Wilson, Karen C. Tsui, Sunmin Park  Journal of Ethnic Foods  Volume 4, Issue 3, Pages 172-180 (September 2017) DOI: 10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005 Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 1 Kimchi is fermented vegetables, most commonly Napa cabbage (baechu) with chili powder, scallions, garlic, or ginger, or more. Kimchi has long served as Korea's national dish, and is truly one of the most innovative Korean foods [5]. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 2 Korea is the place of origin of kimchi. Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula in Northeast Asia. The peninsula is surrounded by the Yellow Sea to the west, and the East China Sea to the south. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 3 Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru) is the staple, hot spice which gives kimchi an intense and spicy flavor. Gochugaru affects the fermentation of kimchi, increasing metabolite concentrations during the process. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 4 Napa cabbage is also known as baechu (Korean), hakusai (Japanese), and pechay or tsina (Filipino), a cool season vegetable. Napa cabbage, the main ingredient of kimchi, is a barrel-shaped dense head with a firm, crunchy texture and milder flavor than traditional green head cabbage [10]. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 5 Kimchi comes in a variety of flavors and sizes in US markets. The types of kimchi include traditional Napa cabbage kimchi, cucumber kimchi, radish kimchi, and many more. Three basic packages of kimchi products are found in local supermarkets in the US: (1) freshly packed items of salad-type kimchi (called Geotjeori–fresh kimchi, seasoned, without fermentation); (2) refrigerated items of fermented kimchi; and (3) fermented, pasteurized items of shelf-stable kimchi. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 6 How to make your own kimchi. (A) First, prepare Napa cabbage (baechu) – Rinse heads of Napa cabbage and cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters by cutting the stem end in half about 8–10 cm and then pulling apart to separate into two pieces by hand. Do the same for each half to make quarters. (B) Dip each cabbage quarter that you made in the first step in the saltwater (1 cup of salt in 8 cups of cold water in a large mixing bowl). Sprinkle salt over the cabbage equally. Allow the cabbage to sit at room temperature for ∼4 hours. Then, rinse the salt from the cabbage with cold water. Then, drain well for the next step. (C) Preparing seasoning paste: Mix minced garlic, ginger, shredded radish, and green onions (cut into 2.5 cm pieces) with cooled sweet rice flour paste (adding sweet rice flour to 1 cup water in small saucepan). Simmer over a low heat until it thickens to a thin paste and add Korean red pepper powder. Then, mix the seasoning paste and vegetables together. (D) Spread the kimchi paste mix onto each cabbage leaf, and wrap the kimchi paste around the outermost leaf. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 7 Cooking with kimchi, Recipe 1: kimchi fried rice. Instead of serving kimchi as a side dish, this recipe introduces how to make fried rice with kimchi. This dish can be served as a meal or a snack at any time of the day. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 8 Cooking with kimchi, Recipe 2: kimchi pancake. This recipe, kimchi and scallion pancake, is simple to make and a great use of leftover kimchi. It can be served as a side dish or a midnight snack for large groups of people. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 9 Cooking with kimchi, Recipe 3: kimchi pancake (vegetable version–no flour). This recipe is a flourless version of kimchi pancake. This is a tasty and easy way to add vegetables to your diet. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions

Fig. 10 Cooking with kimchi, Recipe 4: kimchi quesadilla. This Korean-infused Mexican dish is simply filled with kimchi, cooked vegetables, and melted cheese in quesadilla (quesadilla is a Mexican food made with a flat piece of bread, called a tortilla, that is folded with cheese, or other ingredients such as meat, peppers, onions, or guacamole, and is usually grilled). This dish is a fun food and easy to make as a snack or appetizer. Journal of Ethnic Foods 2017 4, 172-180DOI: (10.1016/j.jef.2017.08.005) Copyright © 2017 Korea Food Research Institute Terms and Conditions