One of the aspects that unites Koreans and Italians is the love, or rather the obsession, for good food. Korean cuisine is very healthy, it is based on the food philosophy that food and cooking have the same root and is centered on vegetables, fat-free and low-calorie foods. Furthermore, he prefers cooking techniques that do not alter the foods, vegetables are mostly blanched, while meat and fish are grilled or stewed. The typical Korean meal almost always includes steamed rice accompanied by soups and stews, both meat and fish, and at least six side dishes (ban-chan) consisting mainly of vegetables, but also eggs, fish and meat. The general concept of the Korean meal is that it is shared among diners, apart from the rice and soup which are served individually.
THE KIMCHI
An important characteristic of Korean cuisine is fermentation and kimchi is the real star, a real superfood due to the completeness and variety of its nutritional values.
There are more than two hundred versions of this dish, each family has its own recipe that is handed down from generation to generation. It is not just a dish in itself, but can represent a fundamental ingredient for the preparation of other recipes. It is not prepared quickly, as it is based on salted and fermented vegetables, but it has the great advantage of being perfectly preserved for a long time. Basically it is prepared with Chinese cabbage or savoy cabbage fermented in a particular brine and seasoned with various spices, including daikon, garlic, ginger and chilli pepper.
We can safely say that this dish was created to preserve vegetables over time, salt has been used over the centuries as a natural preservative and in the case of kimchi, lactic fermentation is also added. The first attestations of Kimchi are found in a treaty from 37 BC, when the territory was divided into the Three Kingdoms. At that time Kimchi was composed only of vegetables, later spices such as garlic and ginger were added and only in 1600 also chilli pepper.
HOW IT IS PREPARED
It is prepared in large quantities before the arrival of the cold months, when vegetables are in season, this process called kimjang it was included by UNESCO among the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, because it represents an opportunity for Koreans to meet with relatives and neighbors, prepare it together and strengthen the unity of the community. The original clay container for storing kimchi is called today and traditionally it was placed in courtyards. Koreans give so much importance to this food that they have refrigerators made with special drawers for kimchi, with the temperature adjustable to ensure perfect fermentation and not let its pungent smell escape.
But let's get to numerous beneficial characteristics of kimchi. It is rich in nutrients such as iron, folate, and vitamins B6 and K, while being low in calories. It has a high probiotic content, the same ones we find for example in yogurt, beneficial for the intestine. Among its ingredients, garlic promotes the well-being of the cardiovascular system, while chilli pepper is rich in vitamins A, B and C and has a powerful antioxidant action. Kimchi also contains fibers that protect intestinal health and regularity, absorbing excess sugars and cholesterol.
It is precisely because of all these characteristics that Koreans consider it a beneficial and essential elixir of long life to deal with daily stress.
Monia Bernardini
Cover photo credit: jcomp