Kimchi: A Fiery Ferment

By Kirsten Shockey And Christopher Shockey
Published on November 19, 2019
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Getty Images/GEOLEE

Korea’s rich pickling tradition refers to any lacto-fermented vegetable as “kimchi.” But it’s more than just a word for “pickle.” The kimchi tradition is a great source of national pride, and it varies from season to season, region to region, and family to family. For us, kimchi is a fiery, zesty ferment, inspired by that delicious trio of ginger, garlic, and chile.


Photo by Lara Ferroni

Many traditional types of kimchi undergo a process of overnight brining to salt the leafy greens and begin the fermentation process. The taste of fermented salads is different from the decidedly Asian flavor of kimchi, but we’ve put them together as light and juicy ferments with bigger chunks of vegetables. With many of them, you’ll feel like you could serve yourself more than just a condiment-sized dollop.

Spicy Kimchi Recipes:


Excerpted from Fiery Ferments © 2017 by Kirsten Shockey and Christopher Shockey. Photography © by Lara Ferroni. Used with permission from Storey Publishing.

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