Kimjang... A Time Honoured Korean Kimchi-Making Event

A snapshot of the bustling outdoor scene at Galleria Korean Supermarket York Mill's 11th annual #kimjang kimchi-making community donation event. Thank you for the invite Galleria :D!

1500 heads of nappa cabbage.
15 local charities.
100 + volunteers. 

So thrilled to be contributing to a time-honoured tradition in Korea, where after the nappa cabbage harvest the villagers and community gather together to participate in Kimjang, prepping and preparing kimchi for every household. This celebrative time is also a symbol of powerful compassion of giving and community- paying it forward with kimchi for the poor and destitute! With the incredible health benefits of kimchi, a little goes a long way served with rice for a simple meal. Such a moving and touching tradition carried forward by Galleria Supermarket, and continued regularly by award-winning Toronto celebrity chef, restaurateur, writer, speaker and educator Chef Sang Kim to also raise the presence of kimchi's nutritious benefits. According to Chef Sang, kimchi can help make the world a better place! In 2018, he launched the #giftingkimchi campaign, dropping off homemade kimchi to people who are positive forces in the community, and leaving clay pots of kimchi on doorsteps to those who could use it. I had the pleasure to learn his techniques in a kimchi workshop prior to the outdoor hands-on event with over 100 volunteers from the community.

Photo Credit: Chef Sang Kim

Witty, humourous and charming Chef Sang conducts Sushi Making For the Soul, Canada's most popular hands-on sushi and gimbap-making workshop, which is widely lauded for the charitable work it does for food literacy and child poverty issues. He appears regularly on CTV's popular daytime talk show, The Social, and can be seen in the Netflix hit, Rebel Without A Kitchen. He will be launching a YouTube channel on Korean food and culture. I am looking forward to get a copy of his food memoir, Woody Allen Ate My Kimchi released soon.

My second event with Chef Sang Kim. Check out my post of him hosting hot pot.

There are about 250 Korean-style fermented dishes including nappa cabbage kimchi. Kimchi is recognized as one of the top superfoods in the world! Rightfully so, with its properties rich in vitamins A and B and minerals like calcium and iron, alongside being high in antioxidants, gut-healthy bacteria and immune-boosting. It appears in many creative menus nowadays (kimchi topping on hot dog anyone?) and is a trend that is going to stay and become everyday mainstream.  Count on it!

The poggi (whole cabbage) kimchi recipe used at the event.

I was especially in awe with Chef Sang's articulate description of the science of brining- dry and wet. To start the process, cabbage must be brined. Lots of good salt is needed (cultivated Korean sundried salt is preferred) to help break down the cellulose walls of cabbage, to allow for seasoning to penetrate into the leaves. Water brining breaks down walls evenly and more slowly giving it a sea water salinity flavour with the resulting fermented cabbage lasting longer. Dry brining cabbage lasts 3 months. 

The quality of the ingredients determine the resulting quality of the kimchi. The red holland pepper, sundried under the Korean sun as Chef Sang says :D) is the lauded pepper of choice, and the cut must be coarse.  

Fermented baby shrimp, Korean fish sauce- not Thai or Vietnamese, along with garlic and Asian pear, preferably from the Northern tip of Korea as a natural fruity sweetner
blended together into a seasoning mixture, allows for softening the edges of spiciness and adds depth of flavour. If vegetarian, one can use a mushroom broth.

A rice powder roux is created mixed with the pepper, and then mixed with the rest of the seasonings, viscous in consistency to coat a back of a spoon to allow the seasoning to stick to the cabbage.  Matchstick slices of radish and green onions are added for flavour and texture. Slather each individual cabbage leaf top and underneath with the mixture until entire cabbage is well coated but not overly drenched.

Lastly, drain excess moisture from cabbage, and stack tightly in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days in room temperature. Critical fermentation occurs with carbon dioxide, yeast and bacteria- an anaerobic environment that produces good lactic acid.   Afterwards, place into the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks undisturbed and it's ready to eat. I love how Sang describes the results lol-- you take it out too early, the flavours are like a screaming baby-- all the flavours hit you at once. Edgy, too bold and too loud. You wait too long, it's like a grumpy old man. Bitter. Sour. Misbehaves. And leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The perfect marriage is allowing enough time to mellow, cool off and the intermingling of flavours to marry and meld happily.

From a fresh head to cradling it like a compact spicy baby.

Want to learn how to make Kimchi like I did, check out Chef Sang Kim's Kimchi upcoming Workshop 

Tuesday, November 27th at The Depanneur.

The event takes off in the cold, wet and grey day! But we brought sunshine with the heart and soul of what we were doing. It was heart-warming for us under the tent all the way!

Volunteers getting ready with some introductions and speeches underway first...

Spiffed up with a plastic apron, high rubber gloves, and a mask.

And let kimjang begin.... we got 2-1/2 hours for 1500+ whole cabbage heads.

Master Chef Sang showing exactly how it should be done. Such quick even-working hands.

Top slather and swipe, underside slather and swipe...

Prepared whole cabbages, pampered and wrapped like babies, then nestled into a big cradle along with the rest...

Off to the other side, underway was packing in boxes and labeling for donations to be shipped out to the charities. 

AmaZing efficiency and organization!

Back inside, for our hardwork and reflective of the kinds of traditional foods one would eat after kimjang, a simple meal of boiled pork, freshly-prepared kimchi and Korean miso soup. That feeling was so satiating, comforting and delicious. It not only fed the belly but the heart.... it was probably the best kimchi I ever tasted :D. Crispy, balanced sweet, spicy and umami-savoury. Chef Kim tells me the kimchi is just 3-4 days old. Sooo gooood!!

The workshop attendees left with a complementary jar of mat kimchi created by Food 4 U (their famous Canadian-made cut kimchi) as an introductory product to the mainstream market. With the appearance and first taste, I could not tell much difference compared to regular kimchi. After a couple of bites, I noticed it does have less pungency in aroma and taste. The combination of garlic and fish notes are more subdued. The kimchi is crisp, cleaner-tasting without too much added spices and seasoning, but has some mild heat. I feel it's an honest representation of kimchi without too much compromise, with the taste experience more liken to that of mat kimchi. I prefer the bolder, acidic and spicy taste of poggi. I feel this product can be an everyday kimchi- easily served at the table with any Asian meal really. One that doesn't overpower any dish flavours. Knowing its multiple health benefits especially as a digestive aid, why not serve it as a meal side every time. If you've never tried kimchi and not too sure about liking it, look out for this and give it a try...

Food 4 U Kimchi created for those trying kimchi for the first time.

Korean on my mind- made a family favourite- Mini Kimchi Zucchini Pancakes.

After all the kimchi making that Friday, I was so happy my lovely mom wanted Korean cuisine to celebrate her belated birthday that weekend. Look at this AweSome spread- side dishes, appies and mains with the extended family! Some store-bought, some cooked fresh!

What variety- colourful and fresh! Something for everyone...

Our families kids love Korean food! Nom Nom!

I still have Korean on my mind, and told my Chinese cooking class senior students that this coming Monday, I will be doing a one off and teaching them some of my favourite Korean dishes-- kimchi pancakes and chap chae (sweet potato noodles vegetarian-style). Can't wait!