Confessions of a foodie

#13: Kimchi

A plate of kimchi (Photo by author)

I know it has been a while since I last shared a food confession. Pandemic has been rough and consistency is not one of my strongest suits. Nonetheless, I am back to talk about fermented cabbage. One of the weird habits I have developed during the long nights of lockdown is getting up from my bed past midnight to grab something pickled from the fridge. No, I am not pregnant (my belly would say otherwise). I guess my body must be trying to replenish some kind of nutrients.

Recently, I have been craving kimchi, delicious Korean-style pickled cabbage. Crunchy yet soft, spicy but mild, and mouthwateringly tangy kimchi is exactly what one looks for in a pickle. I am no kimchi expert but I trust the local Asian groceries that sell kimchi in extra large plastic sacks. The packaging screams that this kimchi has been made for true kimchi connoisseurs and that’s the type of kimchi I always buy.

Now, I have to talk about the health benefits of kimchi before I round this up. Apart from cabbage, this staple of Korean cuisine also includes garlic, ginger, spring onions, etc. or as my mother would say, all the ‘virus-killing’ ingredients. Hence, it is known to be dense in nutrients and contain probiotics. Some even argue that it strengthens your immune system and reduces inflammation (Healthline, 2021). Oh and I almost forgot to say that it is low in calories. Munch on!