Kimchi in the Making

It takes a lot of prep work, and the smell can definitely overwhelm a small apartment (complex), but making kimchi is a rather meditative process. I actually made two batches this weekend. On Saturday, I made the first batch with some friends. It was definitely a very social activity...we were all cutting and chopping and crushing and mixing and stuffing and laughing and smelling a whole lot together. But the next day, I made the second batch by myself. It was quiet in the house. And I cut and chopped and crushed and mixed and stuffed by myself. Surprisingly, the spicy red peppers sauce actually had a rather calming and theraputic affect, a little like baking banana bread on a cold night. Perhaps it's because it was so formulaic; measuring and chopping very specific amounts according to the recipe. Or because I knew that women have been making kimchi for generations in Korea, and there is something very wonderful about stepping into such a culturally distinct art. Or perhaps it was simply the pleasure of seeing something transformed right before my eyes...from a nice, wholesome batch of napa cabbage to a fiery, red, hot, flaming side dish with a kick.

It'll take a few days for the kimchi to ferment...so I'll have to wait and see how it actually tastes.