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Kimchi: What you need to know about the Korean side dish

More than just a side dish, kimchi is Korea’s national obsession — and it’s going viral around the world. Here’s what you need to know.

How to cook Korean kimchi

It’s made from fermented vegetables and is a popular Korean side dish which is gaining more popularity around the world.

Once you try it your tastebuds will ever love or hate it — but one thing you can’t discount is that it is packed full of flavour.

Kimchi is having a moment right now. You may have seen it in a viral ‘kimcheese’ toastie TikTok, or you may just be curious.

Either way – delicious.com.au has you covered.

What is kimchi

Kimchi is a staple side dish in Korean cuisine; it’s made from spicy fermented cabbage. Recipes vary from family to family and region to region, but you can expect big, bold flavours of chilli, garlic and ginger paired with a punchy tang not dissimilar to sauerkraut.

It is so much more than a side dish though. Kimchi requires a lot of preparation, and thus, a lot of love.

Kimchi is one of Korea’s most popular and beloved foods. Photo: Delicious.com.au
Kimchi is one of Korea’s most popular and beloved foods. Photo: Delicious.com.au

The famous ban chan (side dish) uses a fermentation process that dates back hundreds of years, to a time without fridges.

Asian grocers have a huge selection of ready-made kimchi on offer, so it’s well worth shopping around to find one that hits all the right flavour notes for you. You’ll want to make these corn and kimchi fritters, and maybe some kimchi-glazed chicken wings, too.

Related story: This viral TikTok salad will bake your day

The viral kimchi-cheese combo

The kimchi/cheese combo is in no way a new idea. Korean recipe creators were playing with the pairing long before kimcheese stepped into the spotlight – from cheesy kimchijeon (a Korean kimchi pancake) to dips and fried rice.

And so, when it comes to the kimcheese toastie, you just know the flavours are going to work.

@deliciousaus What is kimchi? This traditional Korean side dish will pickle your fancy. Read more here [https://bit.ly/3x7873D] #whatiskimchi #koreanfood #korean #viral #tiktok #kimcheese 📹: @markusmuch @The Kimchi Company ♬ TT - kn4wse

So next time you find yourself with good bread, some cheddar or other melting cheese, gochujang (Korean chilli paste, because we all need a little extra spice in our lives), kimchi and butter, you know what you have to make.

How to use and eat kimchi

Kimchi isn’t complicated. It has many uses and is in a tonne of great recipes, however, Koreans traditionally eat it as an accompaniment to fatty proteins, like fried pork belly or, more recently, with deep fried chicken and beer.

Kimchi’s salt and spice cuts through greasy foods, and its sharpness pairs so well with decadent flavours. Here are some other ways to eat kimchi:

* Chopped and stirred into fried rice

* Mixed with beef or pork mince as a dumpling filling

* With a tuna, mayo and rice mix wrapped in nori/seaweed sheets

* In ramen stock and as a ramen garnish.

This story was first published on delicious.com.au as What is kimchi? Here’s how to use the classic Korean side dish.

Originally published as Kimchi: What you need to know about the Korean side dish

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/food/what-you-need-to-know-about-kimchi-and-how-to-use-this-delicious-korean-side-dish/news-story/9d105f81b1e0920d644a2bb0bd0327be