Does This Kimchi Come From China?

Joongang Ilbo, South Korea ^ | February 16, 2008 | Joongang Ilbo, South Korea

[keats5]

Kimchi is a fermented spicy pickled Chinese-type cabbage. It's chopped thick, not shredded like kraut, and tastes much different. Like many spicy Korean foods, it is meant to be eaten as a condiment to plain rice.

We often complain that our over consumption of Chinese products hurts our economy, but it's a two way street. They really need us to continue buying, or their economy would tank.

[N. Theknow]

Come in.

Have a seat.

Would you like to have some kimchi while I wok the dog?

[purpleraine]

If it’s not too late, I think he’s from Ohio.

[Yardstick]

How do the parasites survive the pickling and hot peppers? Must be some damned hardy parasites!

Any parasite hardy enough to survive kimchi I would invite with honor into my lower digestive tract.

[mountainbunny]

It’s actually very good and very good for you. It is full of Vitamin C & other vitamins & minerals. They say it prevents colds and flu. People in Korea often eat it at every meal.
My husband probably would if he could. It goes on everything, including hot dogs.
Some is made from cabbage, but other types are radish, made from giant white radishes, or shredded radish, which is a bit different & a bit sweet.
It can also be made with bean sprouts.
My husband has made & eaten some with entire habaneros in it that have been spun up in a blender. Ouch.
The type we buy locally (Colorado) is made at the Korean grocery store down the street. I mean to try it myself sometime, but I’m always too busy to figure it out.
Try it. It’s so good for you!

[PGR88]

Why are they complaining? Korea is going to be a Chinese vassal-state before too long anyway. Get used to it.

[seoul62]

No offense taken at all. My taste is traditional american: Pot Roast and Chipped Beef, it that I was irked because my Mother who is Asian eats kimchi. My Late Father*-(American of Irish descent)* taste in food was traditional american. My Mother hardly ate the food that she prepared for the family meals-*(traditional american was too strange for her.)*/Just Asking - seoul62.......

[-YYZ-]

“People eat this crap?”

Yes, and it’s excellent. I wasn’t sure about it the first time I tried it. Second tme I liked it better. Now I love it. It’s also good for you, excepting the rather large quantities of salt it contains, like any naturally fermented pickled product.

[Hiddigeigei]

I'm not a parasitologist (my brother is), but I believe there are parasites that encyst in a shell that will only dissolve in the human digestive tract. I would also avoid all raw fish.

When I was a soldier in Korea many years ago, I knew a number of Koreans that suffered stomach ailments.

If I remember correctly, kimchi's made by pressing layers of cabbage or sliced daikon, hot red peppers, and garlic between layers of salt in a large earthenware pot with a lid. The salt extracts the water from and pickles the vegetables.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

It tastes good.....think about broccoli, it stinks and we still eat it.

[Jumper]

I just flew into Korea last night after being gone 14 year and ate at nice resturant (with real Korean Kimche) called Hae Song Garden near the airport. I’ve had the Chinese stuff before and say to those that if you’re gonna do Kimche, do the real thing and get it in South Korea!

[Jet Jaguar]

Agreed.

[Tamar1973]

Thanks for the ping. I have noticed an increase in the “made in china” label at my local Korean grocery store here in the North Bay. I make sure the stuff I buy there is made in either Korea, Taiwan or Japan, anywhere but China.

[Tamar1973]

Kimshi = Coleslaw with an attitude. ;-)

Yep! LOL!

[Tamar1973]

My husband probably would if he could. It goes on everything, including hot dogs.

And pizza.

Chuncheon- style Kimchi Pizza

[LibertyGrrrl]

WOW! I have a similar experience...
My mom rarely ate what she prepared for us, too. She’s Korean and always said she had to make 2 dinners every night. One for my dad and his “traditional” tastes and one for us (us girls preferred the Korean menu). When we were kids, she would have a bowl of water to “wash” the red stuff off the kimchi before we acquired a taste for the hot stuff. Now we can’t live without it. I have a refrigerator in the garage just for the kimchi:)

[Tamar1973]

I have a refrigerator in the garage just for the kimchi:)

In Korea, they sell kimchi refrigerators. I'm not that addicted yet. LOL!

[Caipirabob]

Despite recent stories about the quality of food from China, not all of it can be health-threatening or low quality, Han said.

I dunno, the Chinese seem pretty thorough about anything they do...