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<p><strong>Kimchi</strong>, also spelled <strong>gimchi</strong> or <strong>kimchee</strong>, is a traditional <a title="Korea" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea">Korean</a> fermented dish made of seasoned vegetables.</p><p>Kimchi is the most common Korean <a title="Banchan" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banchan">banchan</a> eaten with rice along with other <em>banchan</em> dishes. Kimchi is also a common ingredient and cooked with other ingredients to make dishes such as kimchi stew (<em><a title="Kimchi jjigae" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi_jjigae">kimchi jjigae</a></em>) and kimchi fried rice (<em><a title="Kimchi bokkeumbap" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi_bokkeumbap"><font color="#810081">kimchi bokkeumbap</font></a></em>). Moreover, because it is both flavorful and healthy, the world-wide appeal and popularity of kimchi continues to grow.</p>
<p><a id="History" name="History"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">History</span></h2>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="WIDTH: 182px"><a class="internal" title="Jars used for storing kimchi" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:G%C3%A4rten_der_Welt%2C_Berlin-Marzahn_036.jpg"><img class="thumbimage" height="135" alt="Jars used for storing kimchi" width="180" longdesc="/wiki/Image:G%C3%A4rten_der_Welt%2C_Berlin-Marzahn_036.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/G%C3%A4rten_der_Welt%2C_Berlin-Marzahn_036.jpg/180px-G%C3%A4rten_der_Welt%2C_Berlin-Marzahn_036.jpg" /></a>
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Jars used for storing kimchi</div>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="WIDTH: 182px"><a class="internal" title="Current style kimchi with chili peppers" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Korean_Gimchi01b.jpg"><img class="thumbimage" height="167" alt="Current style kimchi with chili peppers" width="180" longdesc="/wiki/Image:Korean_Gimchi01b.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Korean_Gimchi01b.jpg/180px-Korean_Gimchi01b.jpg" /></a>
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Current style kimchi with chili peppers</div>
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<p>The history of kimchi traces back to ancient times. References to kimchi can be found as early as 2600-3000 years ago.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-0"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-0">[1]</a></sup> The first text-written evidence of its existence can be found in the first Chinese poetry book, <em>ShiKyung</em>. In this book, kimchi was referred as “Ji”, the term used before it was known as “Chimchae”.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-1"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-1">[2]</a></sup></p><p>The earliest form of kimchi consisted of only salted vegetables. It was in the 12th century when people began to include other spices to create different flavors, such as sweet and sour savor, and colors of kimchi, such as white and orange.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-kimchimuseum_0"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-kimchimuseum">[3]</a></sup></p><p>It is also interesting to note that <a title="Chili pepper" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper">chili peppers</a>, now a standard ingredient in kimchi, were unknown in <a title="Korea" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea">Korea</a> until the early 17th century. Chili peppers originated from <a title="New World" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_World">New World</a> and were introduced to East Asia by western traders.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-2"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-2">[4]</a></sup> This particular style of kimchi made with chili peppers and baechu, a variety of <a title="Chinese cabbage" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_cabbage">Chinese cabbage</a>, gained popularily in the 19th century and this <em>baechu kimchi</em> continues to be the most common and popular form of kimchi today.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-3"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-3">[5]</a></sup></p>
<p><a id="Composition" name="Composition"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Composition</span></h2>
<p>Kimchi's composition can be separated into the main vegetable ingredient and the mix of seasonings used to flavor the kimchi. While the most popular type of kimchi is the napa cabbage variety, countless different types exist, including regional and seasonal varieties. Popular variants include <em>kkakdugi</em> (깍두기) which is a kimchi made with cubed radishes, and <em>oh-ee so-bae-gi</em> (오이소배기) which is a stuffed <a title="Cucumber" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber">cucumber</a> kimchi. <em>Kkaennip</em> (깻잎) kimchi features layers of <a title="Perilla" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla">perilla</a> leaves marinated in <a title="Soy sauce" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_sauce">soy sauce</a> and other <a title="Spice" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice">spices</a>. The <a title="Kimchi Field Museum" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi_Field_Museum">Kimchi Field Museum</a> in <a title="Seoul" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul">Seoul</a> has documented 187 historic and current varieties of kimchi. Although the most common seasonings include brine, garlic, scallions and chili pepper grind, countless varieties of seasoning and ingredients can be replaced or added depending on the type of kimchi being made. Common seasonings also include ginger, onions, salted fish or shellfish as well as fruit or fresh seafood.</p>
<p>Moreover, kimchi is not necessarily spicy or red. White kimchi (<em>baekkimchi</em>) is seasoned without the chili pepper grind and is neither red in color nor spicy. White radish kimchi (<em>dongchimi</em>) is another example of a popular kimchi that is not spicy. A popular dish of cold noodles in "donchimi" brine (<em>dongchimi gooksu</em>) is eaten widely during the summer months.</p>
<p><a id="Kimchi_varieties" name="Kimchi_varieties"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Kimchi varieties</span></h2>
<p>Kimchi can be categorized either by regions or seasons. Korea's northern and southern sections have a considerable temperature difference.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-yahookorea_0"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-yahookorea">[6]</a></sup> Northern regions tend to have longer winters compared to the southern regions of Korea. Kimchi from the northern parts of Korea tend to have less salt as well as less red peppers and usually do not have brined seafood for seasoning. Northern kimchi often has a watery consistency. Unlike northern styles, kimchi in the southern parts of Korea, such as <em>Jeollado</em> and <em>Kyeongsangdo</em>, uses salt, chili peppers and salted fish liberally. Depending upon the season of the year, the various weather conditions, and ingredients available in the region, different varieties of kimchi are produced.</p>
<p><a id="By_regions" name="By_regions"></a></p>
<h4><span class="mw-headline">By regions</span></h4>
<p>(The entire section's reference)<sup class="reference" id="_ref-yahookorea_1"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-yahookorea">[6]</a></sup></p>
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<li><em>Hamgyeongdo</em> (Upper Northeast) </li>
<li><em>Jeollado</em> (Lower Southwest) </li>
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<p>People use different types of fermented fish, such as salted yellow corvine and salted <a title="Butterfish" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfish">butterfish</a> to create different seasonings for kimchi.</p>
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<li><em>Gyeongsangdo</em> (Lower Southeast) </li>
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<p>This region is famous for salty and spicy flavors in its dishes and their kimchi is no exception. The most common seasoning components are salted <a title="Anchovies" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchovies">anchovies</a> and salt, which produce a briny and savory flavor.</p>
<p><a id="By_Season" name="By_Season"></a></p>
<h4><span class="mw-headline">By Season</span></h4>
<p>(The entire section's reference)<sup class="reference" id="_ref-4"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-4">[7]</a></sup></p>
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<li>Spring </li>
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<p>Traditionally, after a long period of consuming <em>kimjang kimchi</em> (winter kimchi) during the winter, fresh <a title="Potherbs" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potherbs">potherbs</a> and vegetables were popular for making kimchi. These kinds of kimchi were not fermented or even stored for long periods of time but were freshly consumed.</p>
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<li>Summer </li>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Health effects</span></h2>
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<div class="thumbinner" style="WIDTH: 182px"><a class="internal" title="Kimchi Jigae(Stew). A popular stew made with kimchi, it is commonly cooked with kimchi, fresh vegetables and pork or tuna although countless variants exist." href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kimchijigae.jpg"><img class="thumbimage" height="135" alt="Kimchi Jigae(Stew). A popular stew made with kimchi, it is commonly cooked with kimchi, fresh vegetables and pork or tuna although countless variants exist." width="180" longdesc="/wiki/Image:Kimchijigae.jpg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Kimchijigae.jpg/180px-Kimchijigae.jpg" /></a>
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Kimchi Jigae(Stew). A popular stew made with kimchi, it is commonly cooked with kimchi, fresh vegetables and pork or tuna although countless variants exist.</div>
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<p>Kimchi has been cited by Health Magazine as one of the world’s five “healthiest foods,” for being rich in vitamins, aiding digestion, and perhaps even preventing cancer.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-5"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-5">[8]</a></sup></p><p>Since kimchi is made of various vegetables, it contains a high concentration of <a title="Dietary fiber" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_fiber">dietary fibers</a>, while being low in calories. It also provides 80% of the daily required amount of <a title="Ascorbic acid" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascorbic_acid">ascorbic acid</a> and <a title="Carotene" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotene">carotene</a>.<sup class="reference" id="_ref-6"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-6">[9]</a></sup> Most types of kimchi contain common ingredients like onions, garlic and peppers all of which have well-known health benefits. The vegetables being made into kimchi also contributes to the overall nutritional value. Kimchi is rich in vitamin A, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), calcium and iron<sup class="reference" id="_ref-Asianinfo_0"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-Asianinfo">[10]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="_ref-tour2korea_0"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-tour2korea">[11]</a></sup> and also has active and beneficial bacterial cultures of <a title="Lactobacillus" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus">Lactobacilli</a><sup class="reference" id="_ref-7"><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimchi#_note-7">[12]</a></sup> which results in a higher <a title="Lactic acid" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactic_acid">lactic acid</a> content in the final product than in <a title="Yoghurt" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoghurt">yoghurt</a>.</p>
<p><a id="Trivia" name="Trivia"></a></p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline">Trivia</span></h2>
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<p><strong>This article contains a <a title="Wikipedia:Avoid trivia sections" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_trivia_sections">trivia</a> section.</strong><br /><em>The article could be improved by <a title="Wikipedia:Handling trivia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Handling_trivia#Recommendations_for_handling_trivia">integrating</a> relevant items into the main text and removing <a title="Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:What_Wikipedia_is_not">inappropriate</a> items.</em></p>
<small><font size="2">This article has been tagged since <strong>May 2007</strong>.</font></small></div>
<ul>
<li>Most Koreans store kimchi in a separate refrigerator that is designed to keep kimchi at an optimal temperature for proper fermentation.<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.tdctrade.com/imn/02031402/food19.htm" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.tdctrade.com/imn/02031402/food19.htm">[1]</a> </li>
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<li>When taking photographs, South Koreans often say the word "kimchi" the same way English speakers would use the word "cheese".<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/food.htm" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/food.htm">[2]</a> </li>
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<li>The South Korean <a title="Korea Aerospace Research Institute" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea_Aerospace_Research_Institute">Korea Aerospace Research Institute</a> (KARI) are hoping to have the first Korean in space to experiment with kimchi while aboard the Russian-manned space ship <a title="Soyuz spacecraft" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_spacecraft">Soyuz</a>. KARI has developed a space-safe kimchi recipe by sterilizing the food with radiation blasts, heat, freezing and packaging.<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,71607-0.html" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,71607-0.html">[3]</a> </li>
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<p><a id="See_also" name="See_also"></a></p>
