Local Korean Chef Yim Hyungsoo knows a thing or two about preserving foods. The New Malden based food researcher and artist has helped create a cookbook as part of the first-ever Kimjang Project in London this year. The book features recipes from North Korea, South Korea and China – all from locally based chefs.

He says: “Kimchi is a fermented preserved food among thousands of Korean dishes, which contains a variety of seasonal vegetables, sea foods and meat. The taste can be spicy, tangy and fresh – good for all moods and occasions. We eat kimchi for every meal, and it also has amazing health benefits.”

“Kimjang is the name of the massive producing of kimchi, which usually takes place between late autumn and early winter in Korea. In that period, families, neighbours and village people cooperate together to share labour and foods and make kimchi – it is like a festival!

“Kimjang is very important in our culture to preserve foods to survive through long winter.”

Korean Temple Kimjang Kimchi @kimjangproject

10 TOP HEALTHY REASONS WE SHOULD BE EATING KIMCHI

If you’re looking to boost your immune system, this spicy, fermented side dish may be your ticket to good health. Kimchi packs a powerful punch of health benefits including weight loss, detoxifying and anti-ageing. No wonder it’s been a staple on Korean tables for thousands of years and is catching on here.

1. Full of Vitamins
   A daily side-dish of kimchi offers an alternative to vitamin supplements. High in B vitamins, vitamin A and C, kimchi also contains enzymes that are beneficial to your digestion process, circulation and even your vision.
2. Strengthen your immune system
   During the coronavirus pandemic, many of us want to give our immune system a boost. Key ingredients include garlic, ginger, and peppers are superb immune builders.
3. Detoxifier
   Eliminate toxins and waste from your body with cabbage kimchi. It’s a tasty option to rid your body of toxins and much easier on the wallet than a cleansing diet
4. Lose Weight
   Kimchi offers a double whammy for losing a few pounds. Not only is it low in fat and calories, the fibre content keeps your body full for longer, keeping hunger at bay. Plus, the spicy peppers will give your metabolism a boost.
5. Lower Cholesterol
   Kimchi contains a large amount of garlic, a good source of selenium and allicin. These actively help reduce plaque in arteries, preventing diseases such as high blood pressure and stroke. Plus high levels of fibre aids the reduction of cholesterol.
6. Anti-Ageing
   Stuffed full of antioxidants, kimchi can help protect the body against free radical damage and slow down the ageing of the skin. Garlic is a rich source of selenium an essential mineral to keep your skin and hair healthy.
7. Probiotic Health
   Probiotics are the good bacteria that populate your digestive tract. Kimchee is rich in probiotics, just one gram of well-fermented kimchi contains four times the amount of probiotic bacteria found in yoghurt.
8. Digestive Health
   Kimchi improves the overall health of your digestive system and keeps you regular. The vast amounts of probiotics in kimchi promote healthy digestion and improves the number of nutrients absorbed from food.
9. Lowers Blood Sugar
   Eating kimchi regularly helps maintain better glucose tolerance. It can combat type 2 diabetes and helps avoid dips in blood sugar levels.
10. Reduces the Risk for Cancer
    The simple ingredients in kimchi (onions, ginger, cabbage, garlic, hot peppers) contain healthy flavonoids known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Kimchi isn’t hard to make: here’s a simple and easy to make kimchi recipe by local Chef Hyungsoo Yim

Kimchi recipe

Ingredients

3 Halves salted Kimchi Cabbage (approx. 500g each)

300g Shredded Radish

2 Spring Onions (roughly shredded)

For seasoning

100g Radish

2 Red Chili

50g Chili Powder

1 Korean Pear (Skin and Seeds Removed)

7g Chopped Ginger

15g Sugar

7g Fine Sea Salt

5g Roasted Sesame Seeds

50g Glutinous Rice Porridge

1. Grind Pear, Radish and Red Chilies in the chopper with little water.
2. Transfer ground ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add all seasoning ingredients, then mix well
4. Add Shredded Radish and Spring Onions.
5. Mix Well.
6. Stuff each layers of Salted Cabbages with seasonings.