Kimjang: Making Winter Kimchi

Translated from the Korean original.

Kimjang Kimchi Recipe

A kimjang kimchi recipe with no fishy jeotgal smell

In Korea, there’s a greeting that comes out naturally every winter..

Not the usual “Have you eaten?” ^^ hehe – I mean the seasonal “winter” greeting lol

It’s probably a greeting the ajummas use more, lol – “Have you done your kimjang?” When are you doing it? How many cabbages?

You’re using pre-salted cabbage? Then how many kilos? Your in-laws or your own parents are making it for you? Lucky you! lolol – with greetings like these, 20 minutes fly by every time you run into someone..

Do you all still make your kimjang at home?

These days most people buy it from online shops, and those who don’t quite trust that will ask someone nearby who’s good at making kimchi, pay them a little something, and have their kimjang kimchi brought over.. Something I heard recently from someone around me: there’s a farm down in the provinces that prepares even the kimchi filling in advance, so you go there, stuff as many cabbages as you want to take home, and pack them up yourself – a service like that? Is that what you’d call it?

Anyway, apparently there are people selling it that way too.. Word has spread so much that you can’t buy any unless you book in advance. Word of mouth really is something.. And it’s impressive that the owner thought of running a business like that in the first place.

I read in an article that over 60% of homemakers don’t make kimjang themselves.. I was honestly shocked when I read it.. What surprised me more is that even homemakers in their 60s and older – who with that much experience could make kimjang one-handed with their eyes closed – are buying it too.. Hmm… so far more people skip it than I thought.. No wonder the kimchi business is doing so well.. I remember being really surprised, haha

Neighbors, do you make your own kimjang – or even just kimchi? Or did you try, fail, and end up buying it? Kimchi tastes different by province, by region, by household, so in the end everyone arrives at a recipe that suits their own taste.. In winter, if you have kimchi, you’re set even without any special side dishes! Hehe. Is that an old-fashioned thing to say?

These days K-kimchi is exploding in popularity overseas too – are you all eating your kimchi well? If you make your own, let’s share recipes with each other!

I make my own kimjang every year, and I’ll share mine too!! ^^

Thank you for reading my rambling post today too ^^ *bows*