Kimchi (Fermented Cabbage)

Kimchi is the national dish of Korea. At first it can sound dauting to us westerners because of the word "fermented" but don't forget that we eat a lot of fermented foods alredy - yoghurt and bread for example. In the case of kimchi the cabbage is coated leaf by leaf in a delicious spicy mix of hot pepper flakes, garlic, chives, onion, pearjuice, and more. It is than able to be eaten right away (in which case it is fresh, not fermented) or you can leave it out of the refrigerator for two or three days to start the fermentation proces. As it ferments it develops a rich and slightly sour flavor - true also of German sauerkraut (which means sour herb or cabbage). It lasts for months and is also used as the base for many other dishes such an important dish in Korea that is eaten with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It may not look pretty but it sure tastes good. and if you don't have time to make it yourself, it is always available pre-made at your local Korean grocery.