Kim Chi !

[Calvin]

KimChi ! If ever there was a food that seems to totally devide people .... it's KimChi. I have never really seen someone have a neutral position on this one... they either like it or hate it. I was 1st exposed to KimChi circa 1974 when I was working at a Tae Kwon Do studio.The owners and several people there were from South Korea.They made it themselves. They must have made 30 different types of the stuff. 1st time I saw that I had no idea what it was....Then the Smell hit me.... OMG.... what on earth died ? Stuff was Horrid smelling.Unfortunetly I didnt really have a choice and I HAD to eat some.... I think most of them found my reactions to be quite humorus.... stuff tasted worse than it smelled.... They sat there eating it by the quarts ..... Well 31 years have gone by and I hadnt had any since.... Then I found some in the grocery store.... I looked at it and read the ingredients.... this was just basic KimChi.... Napa Cabbage , Garlic ,Green Onion ,Hot Peppers , Sugar ,Salt , Paprika and Ginger...... No fermented seafood or meats.... So I did a search on it and read up about it.... Then I decided to try some..... Took a little getting used to but now I'm really likeing the stuff....Turns out to be really healthy also....... With only one bad side effect..... Anyone who has much expirence with Kimchi will know what I mean .... So whats your take on this ? Like it. Love it, Hate it ?

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Calvin: KimChi ! With only one bad side effect..... Anyone who has much experience with Kimchi will know what I mean ....

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Eat Kimchi, America needs the gas.

 

[Pablo]

KimChi? My kids eat it with spaghetti.

 

[obbop]

Had a date with Kim Chi when our shipr visited Chin Hae for a few days. Lovely lass but she gave me a gift that reared its ugly head a few days after departing. 6-1/2 million units administered while the ship was in rough water, making the needle move around, tearing tissue, quenched a few of the fine memories of the experiences ashore.

 

[Pablo]

This is a food forum! Use the proper tools when dining.

 

[PandaBear]

You just found your first neutral Kim Chi person. I can and don't mind eating it, but not a big fan. It came with Korean Tofu Casserole (my favorite Korean dish) every time, so might as well eat some. Use to not like it, but now I don't mind.

 

[moribundman]

I eat kim chi with Korean BBQ, which I love.

 

[Pablo]

Don't say Kim Chee and breath in the same sentence. mori - I thought you hated garlic? Or was that the other guy from bund?

 

[tdpark]

I grew up with the stuff, first 18 years of my life I hated it, then for some reason in college I started liking it. Made my mother cry to see me finally liking food from the homeland.

 

[Korean_redneck]

I eat Kimchi every day. Yes its good for you , so is alot of Korean food. But if I have a date, or I go to Taekwondo Class, I skip the kimchi. They say that Kimchi has alot of cures. It also slows down the aging proccess. Also , Like Yogurt, the good fermented Bacteria is good for you digestive system. My mother doesn't put Garlic in her Kimchi , it lowers the smell when you eat it. But Gas is right. I get major gas, so i have alot of Gas medicines on Stand by. In my opinion, Kimchi that has been fermented for 6 months is the best ones. But Koreans love the ones that has been fermented for 3 years.

 

[Calvin]

Well I had some fun today.... I brought a jar of KimChi to work.Just a store bought commercial brand of the spicy variety. I asked several people if they would like some. Sandi who is from Hong Kong.... Replied in a hushed voice " You have Kimchi ? " Almost like it was illeagle or something....She proceded to get a goofy look on her face and wolfed a big plate of it with serious enthuesiam.... Jim who is Japanese did about the same.... Lai who is also from Hong Kong turned around and quickly walked the other way. Gary.... threatened to punch my lights out if I didnt get that away from him. Jen who is 22 and had no idea what it was took one whif and literly ran away. Hal at it like it was going out of style. Robert had never seen it before and thought it smelled great and enjoyed eating it. JW wouldnt get within 25 feet of it. My Boss told me to never bring that in here again. PandaBear... Well I give you credit...You are the only person I have known to be neutral on it. Actually the thing that I dislike the least about KimChi is that if you eat enough of it , it does exude through your skin.... just like garlic can. But as I understand it it is very healthy food !

 

[Pablo]

Calvin - that is halarious!

 

[kreigle]

quote:

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Originally posted by Korean_redneck: In my opinion, Kimchi that has been fermented for 6 months is the best ones. But Koreans love the ones that has been fermented for 3 years.

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Do store-bought jars in the back of the fridge with a sell-by date in 2003 count? I like the stuff I've gotten from the local supermarket, but I've noticed that after it's fermented in the fridge for a couple extra years it really tastes different. The stuff in my fridge now has a sort of hay/silage smell to it, but I like the way it tastes. Nothing at all like the sharp peppery-ness of the 'fresh' jars.

 

[Korean_redneck]

^^^^ Commercially Made Kimchi is the worst kimchi you can possibly buy,, especially the ones that are made in a Different Country instead of Korea. If you want good Kimchi, you can get it at a Korean store. When I was Stationed in Virginia and I would buy 2 Jars of Kimchi, and a big bag of rice.. total about $30 . I eat it every day and its about a 1 1/2 Months worth of food for me. But hey, if you think the jar at the Supermarket taste good.. its all good. Maybe I just had a bad Chinese made one.

 

[kreigle]

quote:

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Originally posted by Korean_redneck: ^^^^ Commercially Made Kimchi is the worst kimchi you can possibly buy,, especially the ones that are made in a Different Country instead of Korea. If you want good Kimchi, you can get it at a Korean store. When I was Stationed in Virginia and I would buy 2 Jars of Kimchi, and a big bag of rice.. total about $30 . I eat it every day and its about a 1 1/2 Months worth of food for me. But hey, if you think the jar at the Supermarket taste good.. its all good. Maybe I just had a bad Chinese made one.

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Thanks, it is the only kimchi I have ever tried, though, so I don't have anything to compare it to. There are no Korean restaurants/grocers in York (a look in the yellow pages turned up a possible Chinese? - Chang Chow carry-out and grocer - shop). We only get to VA about 3 times a year to visit my wife's uncle in Manassas, but we're only there a couple hours each time, so I don't get to look around much. It really sucks sometimes living in hicks-ville, but we can't afford to move.

 

[Pablo]

I can't eat kim chi by itself - sorta too sour and hot or something. I gotta have it with meat and rice. Korean BBQ beef.............emmmmmmmmmm!

 

[Drew]

Did you guys know that Korea has to import Kimchi from Japan to meet its demand-at least it had to when I lived in Seoul in 1997 Anway, I prefer Kimchi that is fresh and hasn't ferminted in those pots for months. With that said, a female custodian at my school hooked me up with a huge jar of her homemade stuff. It was delicious. Best eaten as a side dish with beef and rice. Yummy.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Drew: Did you guys know that Korea has to import Kimchi from Japan to meet its demand-at least it had to when I lived in Seoul in 1997

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As we speak there is a hot debate going on in the BITKCG forums in Soel. One side is saying that domestic Korean Kim Chi is better and keeps Koreans employed even if it isn't. The other is saying domestic Kim Chi Sucks and without Japnese competition it would suck more.

 

[Korean_redneck]

^^ when I was in Fukuoka, Japan, I ate Japanese style Kimchi. The flavor is different. It taste good still. it had a more salty flavor. Kimchi that hasn't been fermented? well.. it taste like straight cabbage!!

 

[vwoom]

Kimchi is served as one of many appetizers(Pan Cha) when my wife and I eat Korean(she actually works for Samsung USA). She hooked me into it thanks to her Korean coworkers. Bulgogi(eaten w/ a long spoon), cold noodles and those hot/spicy Tofu bowls mixed w/ an egg are some of my favorites.