Regional Influences Create Wide Varieties of Kimchi

Regional Influences Create Wide Varieties of KimchiAlthough a basic fermentation process is central to kimchi, a countless variety of ingredients and seasonings can be included in its preparation. With the Korean Peninsula lying along a lengthy north-south axis, its wide range of climatic conditions have contributed to a diverse array of cultural characteristics, including distinctive variations of kimchi.

Han Bokryeo President, Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

Although a basic fermentation process is central to kimchi, a countless variety of ingredients and seasonings can be included in its preparation. With the Korean Peninsula lying along a lengthy north-south axis, its wide range of climatic conditions have contributed to a diverse array of cultural characteristics, including distinctive variations of kimchi.

Han Bokryeo President, Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

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Kimchi varieties differ according to the particular vegetable ingredient, seasonings, and region of origin.

© Timespace

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Essential kimchi seasonings include salt and various salted seafood, such as fermented anchovy, large-head hairtail, yellow corvina, and shrimp. The salted seafood helps to enhance the kimchi’s savory taste and provides the protein, calcium, and fat that are lacking in the vegetable ingredients.

The diverse regional influences of the Korean Peninsula, as a re-

sult of notable variances in climatic and geographical conditions, have contributed to the creation of a wide variety of unique types of kimchi. In general, kimchi in the southern regions is characterized by its bright redness, sharp taste, and minimal liquid, while that of the central regions is associated with types with a lighter red color, due to the use of less red pepper, which is served with a considerable amount of liquid. Farther north, the kimchi is immersed in liquid, mild in taste, and crisp in texture.

The southern areas of the Korean Peninsula are relatively warmer, so ad-ditional salt is needed to prevent the kimchi from fermenting too quickly. In contrast, in the north, people will prepare kimchi with less salt and lighter seasoning, which serves to accentuate the natural vegetable flavors. Mean-while, the kimchi of the central regions covers a broad spectrum of diversity, with more moderate and subtle tastes.

Regional CharacteristicsIn addition to the salt that is needed

to preserve the vegetable ingredients, and red chili pepper, which gives kim-chi its distinctive spiciness and redness, there are several other ingredients that factor into its savory taste. In particular, the salted seafood items, which are pro-duced by a lengthy maturation process, vary widely based on regional and cul-tural influences.

The regional characteristics of kim-chi can be identified from the type of salted seafood ingredient used in its preparation: in the southern regions, people favor salted anchovies; along the eastern coast, salted large-head hairtail fish and salted chub mackerel; and in the central regions, salted yellow corvina and salted shrimp.

Salted anchovies are made from fresh anchovies caught off the south-ern coast, which are salted and left to mature. Anchovies preserved for two to three months are known as “salted anchovies,” while those aged for six months or more are referred to as “salt-ed anchovy brine.” Large-head hairtail are preserved by salting the entire fish, which are allowed to ferment for a year or so, until the flesh acquires a deep chestnut brown color.

Different types of seafood ingredi-ents are included in the preparation of kimchi because of the fact that, above all, it is a staple of common people, which necessitates the use of readily available products from local areas. The inclusion of salted seafood helps to pre-vent the kimchi from over-fermenting, and turning rotten, along with adding to its complex and zesty flavorfulness. However, the seafood ingredients need to be used in moderation, so as to not produce a fishy odor.

The garlic, ginger, and red chili pepper added to kimchi can serve to neutralize any fishy smell of the salted seafood, which aids in the proper fer-mentation. Another kimchi ingredient is an alga gathered from the rocky shore-lines of shallow coastal waters, com-monly known as “dead man’s fingers” or “sea staghorn.” It helps the kimchi to maintain a firmer texture, while also increasing its nutritional value, in terms of calcium and phosphorus content.

In Goheung, Jeollanam-do Province, the local specialties of oysters and ark clams are often added in large amounts, which results in a unique kimchi, with a distinctive seafood taste. Also, citron might be added at times to offset the kimchi’s spiciness with a subtle citrus fragrance. As for the City of Donghae, Gangwon-do Province, along the east coast, a cuttlefish kimchi is prepared during the cuttlefish season, which

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features cuttlefish and shredded white radish that offer a delightful contrast of chewy and crunchy textures.

Gaeseong is known for combining kimchi with a variety of 35 or so ingre-dients, such as apple, pear, pine nuts, jujube fruit, gingko nuts, octopus, and abalone, within a cabbage-leaf wrap-ping. Pyeongyang-style Chinese cabbage kimchi includes various types of nutri-tious mushrooms, such as shiitake and rock mushrooms. It is lightly salted and served immersed in liquid.

However, the development of mod-

ern transportation and the mobility of today’s society have tended to dimin-ish the uniqueness of regional charac-teristics, as ever more people end up moving away from their hometown. For example, in the capital district and City of Seoul, which is home to about one-quarter of Korea’s population, its residents include people from across the country, who might continue their re-gional kimchi-making practices, but also adopt new variations due to interaction with neighbors and the availability of ingredients. As such, this convergence of

influences has contributed to a kind of standardization of today’s kimchi.

Furthermore, the various types of salted seafood ingredients are increas-ingly being used in combination with each other, thereby reducing the distinc-tiveness of kimchi varieties previously associated with a particular region. Nevertheless, any number of regional kimchi specialties is still available in outlying locations, such as the variety with salted sand eel, which is offered in the Chungcheong-do and Gyeonggi-do provinces.

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Jeolla-doJeolla-do kimchi is

characterized by a taste that is said to be spicy

and salty, as well as rich and savory. Due to its full-bodied flavor, some people will add glutinous rice paste in order to cre-

ate a more refined taste. From its southern and west-

ern coasts, there is a wealth of diverse seafood for the making of vari-

ous Jeolla-do kimchi. Preserved yellow corvina and shrimp are popular choices, although salted anchovies is the most common seafood ingredient for making kimchi.

Red pepper is liberally added to kim-chi, along with sesame seeds and pieces of chestnuts as garnish. Rather than red pepper powder, coarsely ground red pepper, which has been combined with salted seafood in advance, is used for seasoning. The region is well-known for the spiciness of its savory kimchi,

which includes varieties made with the bitter roots of Korean lettuce, as well as a watery radish kimchi, of Naju, and a mustard-leaf variation, of Haenam.

JejudoJejudo, the southern-

most island of Korea, en-joys a warm climate that makes

it unnecessary for residents to prepare preserved vegetables for the win-ter season. Due to its natural environ-ment, Jeju is associated with only a lim-ited number of kimchi variations, which are not intended to be kept for long.

Still, dongji kimchi is unique to Je-judo, which is traditionally prepared on the first full moon of the lunar New Year, with Chinese cabbage that has survived the winter. When pale yellow flowers bloom on the cabbage plants, they are gathered up and soaked in brine, drained and combined with salted anchovies, garlic, and red pepper, then briefly fer-mented, resulting in a refreshing taste.

Gyeongsang-doPeople along the southern coastal region of Gyeongsang-do favor generous

amounts of garlic and red pepper, but little ginger. After Chinese cabbage is soaked in salty brine, it is pressed to remove excess liquid, seasoned with a large amount of salted seafood, and then crammed tightly into stor-age containers.

The kimchi here is characterized by its heavy use of salted seafood, which is typically salted anchovies. As compared to the heavier salted anchovies that are found in Seoul, the local ver-sion is allowed to ferment longer, resulting in a reddish extract, which looks such as soy sauce. This anchovy extract, which is known by a number of names, such as aekjeot, myeoljang, and eoja, can also be used as a general seasoning. Raw ingredients, such as large-head hairtail, are also included to make kimchi, after being finely sliced and combined with red pepper powder and salt.

Dongji kimchi© Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

Oyster and white radish kimchi© Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

Young radish kimchi© Pulmuone Kimchi Museum

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In general, kimchi in the southern regions is characterized by its bright redness, sharp taste, and minimal liquid, while that of the central regions is associated with types with a lighter red color, due to the use of less red pepper, and served with a considerable amount of liquid. Farther north, the kimchi is immersed in liquid, mild in taste, and crisp in texture.

Mustard-leaf kimchi is a popular side dish of the Jeolla-do region. Generous seasoning with chili pepper powder gives it a noticeable spiciness, while the distinctive aroma

and mild bitterness of the mustard leaf is said to stimulate your appetite. © Topic Photo

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White radish kimchi is an everyday version made by chopping a large radish into cubes. Autumn radish is especially sweet and firm, making it ideal for a flavorful white radish kimchi. In coastal regions, this kimchi is often combined with oysters.© Topic Photo

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Seoul / Gyeonggi-doIn the densely populated areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, the kimchi

does not lend itself to clear characterization. However, it could be described as being less distinctive, in terms of regional traits, which can be attributed to a desire to appeal to a wider range of taste preferences. Typical kimchi types are made with Chinese cabbage, young radish, and white radish, along with wrapped kimchi.

Other popular varieties of Seoul include palace-style soy kimchi, boiled white radish kimchi, cucumber kimchi, and “scale” kimchi, in which the radish surface is sliced into scale-like pieces. The seafood seasonings are usually salted shrimp, salted anchovies, or salted yellow corvina, which are read-ily available, in addition to a variety of raw ingredients, such shrimp, pollack, and large-head hairtail.

Chungcheong-doThe kimchi of Chung-

cheong-do is often not as salty as in other re-gions, and also simpler to prepare than that of the Seoul/Gyeonggi-do

area. Basic ingredients in-clude mustard leaf, dropwort,

green onions, fermented red pepper, and dead man’s fingers.

Chinese cabbage and white radish

are also salted and seasoned whole, and then packed into separate jars, accord-ing to their salt content. There is also a mixed cabbage and white radish kimchi, in which the ingredients are chopped into large chunks and mixed together, then seasoned with the extract of salted seafood, such as yellow corvina or shrimp. Young radish kimchi is often made, but unlike the white radish kim-chi of Seoul, it is only lightly seasoned to enhance its refreshing taste.

Gangwon-doWith Gangwon-do Province being situated alongside the

East Sea, its kimchi specialties include those prepared with fresh pollack and cuttlefish, which uniquely feature the fragrance and rich taste of fresh seafood. Chinese cabbage kimchi is generally similar to that of the central regions, but can be distinguished by the addition of slices of raw cuttlefish and dried pollack, which bolster the calcium content and nutritional value. White radish is chopped into large chunks, mixed with red pepper powder, and added to the cabbage layers.

Combination of cabbage and radish kimchi

© Pulmuone Kimchi Museum

Bonnet bellflower root kimchi prepared with fermented lancefish sauce

© Kimchi Gyeonmunnok, Designhouse

Wrapped kimchi © Timespace

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Pyeongan-doAs for Pyeongan-

do, the region’s kimchi is notable for its light sea-soning and large volume of liquid. Chinese cab-bage and white radish kimchi are made sepa-rately, and also in a com-

bination, with both being packed together in the same

container. The seasoning consists of shredded white radish, green onions, garlic, ginger, red pepper powder, and thinly sliced red chili pepper, along with

raw pollack, large-head hairtail, clams, and shrimp. This can be supplemented with salted young large-head hairtail, yellow corvina, and shrimp, combined with a small amount of red pepper pow-der.

Of note, the liquid, unlike that of Hamgyeong-do Province, is not a brine solution, but a beef broth seasoned with salt, from which the fat has been skimmed off. In addition to being sa-vored for its refreshing zest, the tangy liquid is also served as a broth for cold noodle dishes. Pyeongan-do is especially known for its watery white radish kim-

chi and white radish kimchi served with cold noodles.

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Hamgyeong-doThe regional kimchi of Hamgyeong-

do is known for its spiciness, but is typi-cally less salty and served with a large amount of liquid. When properly fer-mented, the kimchi is enjoyed for its re-freshing taste and distinctive tanginess.

Chinese cabbage kimchi is much like that of other regions, but is made with a spicy seasoning sauce, which is splashed onto areas here and

there, rather than being spread throughout ingredients, creat-ing splotches of red on the cabbage sections. In place of salted seafood, raw pollack and flatfish are sliced, mixed with red pep-p e r p o w d e r , a n d inserted between the Chinese cabbage leaves.

Chinese cabbage water kimchi with light seasoning© Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation

Hwanghae-doThe kimchi here is relatively similar to that found in

Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Chungcheong-do; however, it is distinctive in regard to the use of particular spices, such as cilantro for Chinese cabbage kimchi, and fruit of the prickly ash for squash kimchi. Squash kimchi, as in Chungcheong-do, is made from a mixture of squash and brine-soaked Chinese cabbage cut into large pieces, salt-ed, and allowed to mature. It is often boiled and served in kimchi stew dishes.

Squash kimchi© Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

White radish water kimchi© Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

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White radish water kimchi is prepared with whole radishes or radish chunks that are immersed in liquid, which results in a milder flavor. It is buried in the ground during the winter and allowed to ferment for at least one month.© Timespace