gimjang kimchi (김장김치) - kimjang kimchi

gimjang kimchi (김장김치) - kimjang kimchi

 

Kimchi made in late autumn or early winter to eat all winter

 

 

 

 

 

When the temperature drops in late autumn, many Koreans share the topic of making kimchi. Kimchi making refers to Koreans making a large amount of kimchi to spend a cold and long winter. Kimchi refers to a Korean-style vegetable storage food fermented by seasoning with Korean spices and seafood, and according to historical records, even before 760, there was kimchi in the Korean diet. Kimchi is essential for Koreans' meals regardless of class and regional differences. Rice and kimchi are the simplest meals, but kimchi is an indispensable side dish even at the most luxurious banquet.

Kimchi is a food culture that integrates Koreans' understanding of the natural environment and reflects the local ecosystem well. Over time, Koreans have developed the most suitable method for a special natural environment. Therefore, kimchi is deeply related to the natural residential environment in Korea. Preparation for kimchi is repeated periodically every year according to the season. In spring, each family ferments seafood such as shrimp and anchovies in salt. In summer, buy sea salt to store for two to three years to get rid of the bitter taste. In late summer, dry red peppers and grind them into powder. In late autumn, housewives decide the right date for making kimchi in consideration of the weather. Proper temperature is important to get the best taste by storing kimchi in cool and stable conditions. Innovative technologies and creative thoughts are shared and accumulated through the custom of sharing kimchi at home after making kimchi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kimchi making is a long-standing food custom across Korea. Koreans living abroad also get the ingredients needed to make kimchi and make kimchi. Although geographical conditions and climate will determine unique kimchi for each region, basically, the kimchi culture throughout Korea is very homogeneous. Kimchi is essential for Koreans. Wherever Koreans live, they make kimchi, so it also affects the food culture of the country they live in.

It is common in many societies to soak vegetables in salt or vinegar to store and eat for a long time and to enhance taste and nutrition. When Koreans settled abroad, they combined Korean kimchi with the customs of the settlement area to create more creative transformation. This kimchi was not only made by Koreans, but also shared in the mainstream society. Therefore, kimchi as food and kimchi as a comprehensive cooking custom are found all over the world outside Korea.

 

 

 

 

Practically all Koreans make kimchi. Regional differences exist, and special methods and materials used in kimchi are important family heritages that are handed down through generations. The most typical method of transmission is for a daughter-in-law to be passed on from her mother-in-law in a paternal family. Learning how to make kimchi at home is an important cultural adaptation for a newly married daughter-in-law. Women from historic and prominent families publish kimchi cookbooks and run kimchi classes. They contributed to enhancing the diversity and creativity of kimchi in Korean society. In meetings where women work together, especially those with excellent kimchi skills and knowledge, play the most important role in seasoning kimchi.

The knowledge and skills of kimchi are also passed down through official courses in schools. From elementary school, children learn about kimchi and learn how to make kimchi. Many kindergarteners make kimchi in kimchi classes and get used to the preparation process and spicy taste.

Having a sense of taste that contains kimchi well and knows the true taste of kimchi is considered important in understanding Korean culture and lifestyle. Therefore, local communities often provide foreign residents with opportunities to learn kimchi techniques, helping them naturally belong as members of the community.

 

 

 

Making kimchi is an important part of the identity of Koreans. Kimjang is considered to be so important that it is compared to Korean writing systems such as "Hangul" or "Taegukgi." Despite the widespread urbanization and westernization, more than 90% of Koreans eat kimchi served at home by their families or relatives. This is a fact that shows that the culture of "kimjang" is an opportunity to strengthen family cooperation and solidarity in modern society. Making and sharing kimchi, especially making kimchi, a collaboration, reaffirms the identity of Koreans.

Kimchi also reminds many Koreans that humanity must live in harmony with nature. Kimchi is the best example of human creativity and originality in learning knowledge of nature and living according to the rhythm of nature. Koreans learn to live with nature rather than conquer it. The ingredients and methods of making kimchi vary from region to region and from home to home.

Kimchi making is an essential part of winter preparation, and many Koreans realize and practice the spirit of sharing through kimchi making. In addition, Koreans never ignore the difficult circumstances of their neighbors who are poor enough to have no kimchi. Every kimchi-making season, local communities, volunteer groups, and other groups organize large-scale kimchi events, and thousands of people participate in making kimchi. All the kimchi made here is donated to those who need it. Through the custom of sharing kimchi made at these large-scale events, members of Korean society have a stronger bond.

 

 

 

The kimchi-making technology has been passed down by women in the household throughout the generation, and the method of measuring and storing ingredients has relied on family experiences. Traditional kinship and collaboration for kimchi making in Korea are still alive today. According to a 2011 poll conducted by the Cultural Heritage Administration, about 73.8% of Koreans said they regularly contain kimchi with family members and other acquaintances who live or do not live together. As a result, members with more knowledge and experience in making kimchi pass on their knowledge and skills to others through family members or other acquaintances.

In addition to this informal transmission of everyday life, making kimchi and general kimchi is also an important part of public education. Since kindergarten, Korean children have learned the most basic kind of kimchi making. Middle and high schools learn to make more sophisticated kimchi. The cooking school trains at an expert level in making kimchi and teaches the historical and cultural importance of kimchi. There are public and private kimchi museums throughout Korea, exhibiting and promoting historical changes in kimchi and regional variations in kimchi. As Korean society encompasses people from various cultural backgrounds, many communities provide new people with programs to learn how to make kimchi from their neighbors. The participation of immigrants who have just entered Korea in making kimchi is an important step in learning the Korean lifestyle.