Guide Note

Kimchi is a traditional Korean food. It is both a side dish and as an ingredient in other dishes. Traditionally, it is made from cabbage, white radishes, scallions, garlic, chile peppers, and various seasonings, although many variants exist throughout Korea.

The ingredients in kimchi were traditionally placed in a clay jar, which was buried underground to ferment for some time. Burial also kept the kimchi at a constant regulated temperature in a pre-refrigeration era or 2600 to 3000 years ago. Today, the majority of kimchi is factory produced and stored in refrigerators.

Fast Facts

1. Made from fermented seasoned vegetables
2. Alternate spellings: Gimchi or Kimchee
3. Documented varieties: 187
4. When taking photos, Koreans say "kimchi" instead of "cheese"

Kimchi has a high amount of dietary fiber and is low in calories. One serving provides almost 80% of the daily required amount of vitamin C and carotene and vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and iron are prevalent as well.