Recommend Book For you guy who love Kimchi

The book named The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen written By Marja Vongerichten. Marja is the host of a new PBS television series about Korean food and culture titled Kimchi Chronicles. It is scheduled to debut Summer 2011 with 13 episodes. Each episode will be a combination of eating extravaganza and picturesque travelogue with food serving as a vehicle to meet and celebrate the people, places and traditions of Korea.

The book

At First i've to say The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen is such fun to have a written record of Marja's journey as she learns about her culture and its cuisine. Her interpretation of the foods featured in each Korea segment is easy and made for American kitchens.

The Kimchi Chronicles ties in closely with a recent PBS series about Korea that co-stars Hugh Jackman. Its a wonderful gift for anyone who has visited or is interested in South Korean culture, food, history, etc. The book makes Korean cooking easy and approachable for those who am be a bu timid abou new cuisine. There are also great stories inside that anyone can appreciate. Photos are do e beautifully. I'd suggest this to anyone interested.

Chapter one, which is on Kimchee, might be surprising for anyone unfamiliar with Korean food. Kimchee is not just the pickled red cabbage we associate with the word. Marja shows how different food works together to make an entire experience, not just a meal. If you want to start with the more familiar there are recipes for bulgogi and spiced pork chops. The pork chops were delicious. The seafood and scallion Pajeon taste like we are standing in the middle of the street eating them straight off a vendor cart in Korea.

Highly recommended!!

Recommend Book For you guy who love Kimchi

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The book named The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen written By Marja Vongerichten. Marja is the host of a new PBS television series about Korean food and culture titled Kimchi Chronicles. It is scheduled to debut Summer 2011 with 13 episodes. Each episode will be a combination of eating extravaganza and picturesque travelogue with food serving as a vehicle to meet and celebrate the people, places and traditions of Korea.

The book

At First i've to say The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen is such fun to have a written record of Marja's journey as she learns about her culture and its cuisine. Her interpretation of the foods featured in each Korea segment is easy and made for American kitchens.

The Kimchi Chronicles ties in closely with a recent PBS series about Korea that co-stars Hugh Jackman. Its a wonderful gift for anyone who has visited or is interested in South Korean culture, food, history, etc. The book makes Korean cooking easy and approachable for those who am be a bu timid abou new cuisine. There are also great stories inside that anyone can appreciate. Photos are do e beautifully. I'd suggest this to anyone interested.

Chapter one, which is on Kimchee, might be surprising for anyone unfamiliar with Korean food. Kimchee is not just the pickled red cabbage we associate with the word. Marja shows how different food works together to make an entire experience, not just a meal. If you want to start with the more familiar there are recipes for bulgogi and spiced pork chops. The pork chops were delicious. The seafood and scallion Pajeon taste like we are standing in the middle of the street eating them straight off a vendor cart in Korea.

Highly recommended!!

Kimchi and Diet

According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), approximately 40 percent of Americans are overweight. It is a serious health problem for the nation since obesity is considered the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The most effective means of fighting obesity is to change one’s eating habits. To that end, Korean diet has gained popularity in the United States, and many experts look to Korean food for their answer to fighting obesity. For example, the Health magazine credits Kimchi as the “diet that has kept obesity at bay” in Korea and praises its health benefits. The Chair of the AOA is said to frequently enjoy eating kimchi and doenjang. We can attribute the benefits of Korean diet to the enlightened spiritual practitioners of ancient times, who were wise enough to realize the benefits of fermentation.

Kimchi and Diet

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According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), approximately 40 percent of Americans are overweight. It is a serious health problem for the nation since obesity is considered the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The most effective means of fighting obesity is to change one’s eating habits. To that end, Korean diet has gained popularity in the United States, and many experts look to Korean food for their answer to fighting obesity. For example, the Health magazine credits Kimchi as the “diet that has kept obesity at bay” in Korea and praises its health benefits. The Chair of the AOA is said to frequently enjoy eating kimchi and doenjang. We can attribute the benefits of Korean diet to the enlightened spiritual practitioners of ancient times, who were wise enough to realize the benefits of fermentation.

Korean Food & Fermentation

One of the most interesting characteristics about Korean food is that the preparation of it often involves the process of fermentation. Fermentation was frequently utilized by enlightened spiritual practitioners of ancient Korea to create food that would benefit all people. In the old days, fermented food such as soy sauce (Ganjang 간장), bean paste (Doenjang 된장), and Korean chili pepper paste (Gochujang  고추장 ) were important source of protein for Koreans, and they remain popular to this day. Of course, no Korean meal would be complete without the ubiquitous Kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish. Traditionally, fresh vegetables were scarce in winter. Kimchi, therefore, was the main source of vitamins for Koreans in wintertime.


Recently, the Health magazine announced the five best health foods in the world, and they included Greek yogurt, Spanish olive oil, Japanese natto, Indian lentils, and Korean Kimchi. It is interesting to note that the three out of five healthiest foods are prepared through the process of fermentation. It begs the question: why is fermented food good for health? The process of fermentation brings about interesting changes to the flavor and texture of the food. More importantly, however, when food is fermented, it encourages the growth of healthy bacteria while preventing the growth of spoilage-causing bacteria. Doing this successfully requires special ingredients and carefully controlled conditions such as temperature and pH.

Korean Food & Fermentation

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One of the most interesting characteristics about Korean food is that the preparation of it often involves the process of fermentation. Fermentation was frequently utilized by enlightened spiritual practitioners of ancient Korea to create food that would benefit all people. In the old days, fermented food such as soy sauce (Ganjang 간장), bean paste (Doenjang 된장), and Korean chili pepper paste (Gochujang  고추장 ) were important source of protein for Koreans, and they remain popular to this day. Of course, no Korean meal would be complete without the ubiquitous Kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish. Traditionally, fresh vegetables were scarce in winter. Kimchi, therefore, was the main source of vitamins for Koreans in wintertime.


Recently, the Health magazine announced the five best health foods in the world, and they included Greek yogurt, Spanish olive oil, Japanese natto, Indian lentils, and Korean Kimchi. It is interesting to note that the three out of five healthiest foods are prepared through the process of fermentation. It begs the question: why is fermented food good for health? The process of fermentation brings about interesting changes to the flavor and texture of the food. More importantly, however, when food is fermented, it encourages the growth of healthy bacteria while preventing the growth of spoilage-causing bacteria. Doing this successfully requires special ingredients and carefully controlled conditions such as temperature and pH.

4 Easy Kimchi menu

1. Kimchi Fried Rice (김치 볶음밥)

Ingredients

3 tsp sesame oil, 1 cup chopped kimchi, 1/4 cup kimchi juice, 2-3 cups cooked white rice (leftover rice works great), 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Recipe

In a large pot, put sesame oil and add kimchi and rice. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally and add kimchi juice. Add the sesame seeds and mix all the ingredients together.

2. Kimchi Stew (김치 찌개)

This spicy kimchi stew is served bubbling hot and makes good use of leftover or older kimchi. a Fiery hot, hearty, and full of flavor, kimchichigae is great for cold winter days but Koreans can eat it anytime, anywhere. There is a lot of room for variation in this dish, and everyone has their favorite combination. My favorite additions include potatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms.

Ingredients

1/2 lb lean pork or 1 can of tuna, adjust according to preference (more meat than kimchi or vise versa), 2 cups kimchi, 1 Tsp sesame oil, 1 Tsp Korean chili pepper paste, 1 Tsp minced garlic, *4 Pyogo a/k/a Shiitake mushrooms, 1 block water packed bean curd, 2 scallions, 1 onion (marked ingredient is optional.)

Recipe

Cut pork in bite-size chunks or strips. Cut kimchi into 1 inch pieces. In a pot, add the pork, sesame oil, Korean chili pepper paste and minced garlic. Stir and cook over a medium high heat until the pork is nearly cooked through. Add kimchi, some kimchi juice and 3 cups water. Bring to boil. In the meantime, cut the mushrooms, bean curd and scallions. Lower the heat, and add the remaining ingredients. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until bean curd is heated through. Serve immediately.

3. Kimchi Pancake (김치부침개)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup water, 1 egg, 10 oz chopped kimchi (preferably aged), 1/4 cup kimchi juice, 4 oz scallions (finely minced using the greener parts), 2 green hot peppers (sliced, optional), vegetable oil for cooking Dipping Sauce: 2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp Korean chili pepper powder,1 tsp sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

Recipe

Combine the flour with the water and egg and mix. Add kimchi, kimchi juice, scallions and peppers. Using 1 tsp of vegetable oil, cook 1 thin pancake at a time over a medium flame. The batter will make 4 pancakes.

4. Kimchi Soup with Rice (김칫국) 

Ingredients

10.5 oz kimchi, 2 1/2 cups white rice (left over will be good), 1 piece of laver, 1/3 scallion, soy sauce, a dash of salt and black pepper, 5 cups anchovy broth, 1 Korean chili pepper, 1 green hot pepper, 1 egg Anchovy Broth: Boil for 30 minutes 10 anchovies and 6 cups water

Recipe

Cut kimchi into 1-inch length pieces, and slice scallion diagonally. Slice Korean chili pepper and green hot pepper. Mix anchovy broth with kimchi and add soy sauce and salt to your taste. When it boils, add rice and scallion. Add Korean chili pepper, green pepper, laver and egg.

4 Easy Kimchi menu

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1. Kimchi Fried Rice (김치 볶음밥)

Ingredients

3 tsp sesame oil, 1 cup chopped kimchi, 1/4 cup kimchi juice, 2-3 cups cooked white rice (leftover rice works great), 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Recipe

In a large pot, put sesame oil and add kimchi and rice. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally and add kimchi juice. Add the sesame seeds and mix all the ingredients together.

2. Kimchi Stew (김치 찌개)

This spicy kimchi stew is served bubbling hot and makes good use of leftover or older kimchi. a Fiery hot, hearty, and full of flavor, kimchichigae is great for cold winter days but Koreans can eat it anytime, anywhere. There is a lot of room for variation in this dish, and everyone has their favorite combination. My favorite additions include potatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms.

Ingredients

1/2 lb lean pork or 1 can of tuna, adjust according to preference (more meat than kimchi or vise versa), 2 cups kimchi, 1 Tsp sesame oil, 1 Tsp Korean chili pepper paste, 1 Tsp minced garlic, *4 Pyogo a/k/a Shiitake mushrooms, 1 block water packed bean curd, 2 scallions, 1 onion (marked ingredient is optional.)

Recipe

Cut pork in bite-size chunks or strips. Cut kimchi into 1 inch pieces. In a pot, add the pork, sesame oil, Korean chili pepper paste and minced garlic. Stir and cook over a medium high heat until the pork is nearly cooked through. Add kimchi, some kimchi juice and 3 cups water. Bring to boil. In the meantime, cut the mushrooms, bean curd and scallions. Lower the heat, and add the remaining ingredients. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until bean curd is heated through. Serve immediately.

3. Kimchi Pancake (김치부침개)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup water, 1 egg, 10 oz chopped kimchi (preferably aged), 1/4 cup kimchi juice, 4 oz scallions (finely minced using the greener parts), 2 green hot peppers (sliced, optional), vegetable oil for cooking Dipping Sauce: 2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp Korean chili pepper powder,1 tsp sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

Recipe

Combine the flour with the water and egg and mix. Add kimchi, kimchi juice, scallions and peppers. Using 1 tsp of vegetable oil, cook 1 thin pancake at a time over a medium flame. The batter will make 4 pancakes.

4. Kimchi Soup with Rice (김칫국) 

Ingredients

10.5 oz kimchi, 2 1/2 cups white rice (left over will be good), 1 piece of laver, 1/3 scallion, soy sauce, a dash of salt and black pepper, 5 cups anchovy broth, 1 Korean chili pepper, 1 green hot pepper, 1 egg Anchovy Broth: Boil for 30 minutes 10 anchovies and 6 cups water

Recipe

Cut kimchi into 1-inch length pieces, and slice scallion diagonally. Slice Korean chili pepper and green hot pepper. Mix anchovy broth with kimchi and add soy sauce and salt to your taste. When it boils, add rice and scallion. Add Korean chili pepper, green pepper, laver and egg.

Five Tastes of Kimchi.

The chinese version of Kimchi is called "Zu" and the Japanese "Osinko". The Chainese and Japanese Kimchi are just cabbages pickled in salt. They, therefore, taste like nothing more than vegetables pickled in salt. Because the vegetables become limp, they lose the fresh crispiness.

Although Korean Kimchi shares the similar ingredients with the Chinese and Japanese version of kimchi, the hot pepper in korean kimchi causes a chemical change that, in turn, creates an entierly different food from the Chinese or japanes version of pickled vegetable.Sprinkling hot pepper powder on osinko will not transform it into Korean kimchi, and removing all the hot pepper powder from Korean kimchi will not turn it into Chinese zu.

Koreans at that time were able to create a revolutionary food product using just hot pepper. What makes it so revolutionary?
First, no other food in the world can recreate the savory fermented taste of kimchi. In the West, a taste is characterized under five categories, i.e. salty, sweet, bitter, sour and spicy. There is no category for the sixth taste, or the savory fermented taste. It is said that the human tongue has taste receptors for five types of taste. Perhaps, the sixth taste receptor is not well developed for the people outside of Korea.

Right before kimchi goes bad, it attains this fermented flavor. The capsaicin from Korean chili pepper is the chemical agent that preserves this flavor which also prevents kimchi from going bad. Vegetables can easily lose their freshness and, for thousands of years, the mankind has been trying to preserve the freshness of vegetables for their diet. Our ancestors achieved this dream with the help of Korean chili pepper. Because of the Korean chili pepper, kimchi can retain its crispy freshness even after several months. Even though they did not know how to perform quantitative or qualitative analysis of different ingredients, they were able to unleash the power of capsaicin hidden in a Korean chili pepper. We can only be astonished at their wisdom.

The reputation of Kimchi has spread to the rest of the world and pleased the palates of many people. The words, “ondol” and “kimchi,” are included in the revised Oxford Dictionary. People can now buy kimchi at the grocery stores in the suburbs of Brussels or in Nairobi. Kimchi has indeed become a part of international cuisine.

The research on kimchi has become international as well. A few years ago, the researchers at Kyoto University in Japan discovered that kimchi has high capacity to break down fat due to its capsaicin. What is really amazing is that eating a Korean chili pepper alone will not achieve the same result. Only when the Korean chili pepper is fermented within kimchi, does it bring out the ability to break down fat. The more people eat meat, the more fat is accumulated in the body. The accumulation of fat is not only a cause of obesity but also a cause of many adult diseases. Recently, gallstone disease has increased among Koreans. Doctors say that when Koreans did not eat much meat, the gallstones of Koreans were usually dark in color. But as the fat intake increased, the color of gallstones has become whiter. The most powerful weapon against fat, which even changes the color of gallstones, can be found in Korean food. In the old days, our ancestors always ate pork with kimchi and added kimchi to soups that had pork. We can only marvel at their wisdom.

Five Tastes of Kimchi.

Posted by Admin No comments

The chinese version of Kimchi is called "Zu" and the Japanese "Osinko". The Chainese and Japanese Kimchi are just cabbages pickled in salt. They, therefore, taste like nothing more than vegetables pickled in salt. Because the vegetables become limp, they lose the fresh crispiness.

Although Korean Kimchi shares the similar ingredients with the Chinese and Japanese version of kimchi, the hot pepper in korean kimchi causes a chemical change that, in turn, creates an entierly different food from the Chinese or japanes version of pickled vegetable.Sprinkling hot pepper powder on osinko will not transform it into Korean kimchi, and removing all the hot pepper powder from Korean kimchi will not turn it into Chinese zu.

Koreans at that time were able to create a revolutionary food product using just hot pepper. What makes it so revolutionary?
First, no other food in the world can recreate the savory fermented taste of kimchi. In the West, a taste is characterized under five categories, i.e. salty, sweet, bitter, sour and spicy. There is no category for the sixth taste, or the savory fermented taste. It is said that the human tongue has taste receptors for five types of taste. Perhaps, the sixth taste receptor is not well developed for the people outside of Korea.

Right before kimchi goes bad, it attains this fermented flavor. The capsaicin from Korean chili pepper is the chemical agent that preserves this flavor which also prevents kimchi from going bad. Vegetables can easily lose their freshness and, for thousands of years, the mankind has been trying to preserve the freshness of vegetables for their diet. Our ancestors achieved this dream with the help of Korean chili pepper. Because of the Korean chili pepper, kimchi can retain its crispy freshness even after several months. Even though they did not know how to perform quantitative or qualitative analysis of different ingredients, they were able to unleash the power of capsaicin hidden in a Korean chili pepper. We can only be astonished at their wisdom.

The reputation of Kimchi has spread to the rest of the world and pleased the palates of many people. The words, “ondol” and “kimchi,” are included in the revised Oxford Dictionary. People can now buy kimchi at the grocery stores in the suburbs of Brussels or in Nairobi. Kimchi has indeed become a part of international cuisine.

The research on kimchi has become international as well. A few years ago, the researchers at Kyoto University in Japan discovered that kimchi has high capacity to break down fat due to its capsaicin. What is really amazing is that eating a Korean chili pepper alone will not achieve the same result. Only when the Korean chili pepper is fermented within kimchi, does it bring out the ability to break down fat. The more people eat meat, the more fat is accumulated in the body. The accumulation of fat is not only a cause of obesity but also a cause of many adult diseases. Recently, gallstone disease has increased among Koreans. Doctors say that when Koreans did not eat much meat, the gallstones of Koreans were usually dark in color. But as the fat intake increased, the color of gallstones has become whiter. The most powerful weapon against fat, which even changes the color of gallstones, can be found in Korean food. In the old days, our ancestors always ate pork with kimchi and added kimchi to soups that had pork. We can only marvel at their wisdom.