The Korean Kimchi Cookbook. Kim Man-Jo
Baicai, wong nga bak or ta paak tsai, meaning 'white vegetable,' are all the same. The vegetable has a long shape, like cos lettuce, with closely packed pale green to white leaves. The leaves are very delicate in flavour. There are two types-one with narrower leaves and a longer stem, and the other has broader leaves and is more squat.
GOURD, PAK
Gourds are members of the squash (Cucurbitaceae) family, with a delicately flavoured flesh. Dried gourd strips are also popular in Korea. For gourd kimchee, hollow out the gourd, peel and dice the flesh. Salt, rinse and drain, then season with chili pepper powder and threads of red pepper. Add sliced scallions and pear, and ladle a brine of anchovies over it.
CUCUMBER, OI
A popular vegetable on the Korean table. Cucumber grows well without special fertilization or watering; if you are buying them, choose young, slender varieties, preferably with thin skins. Zucchini is not a substitute.
BELLFLOWER ROOT, TORAJI
Westerners saw a bell in this blue flower and so named it 'bellflower.' Because of their appearance, bellflower and ginseng roots have been symbols of the male. The roots are steeped in brine or rubbed with salt to remove the bitter taste; or tossed in a seasoning of chili pepper powder, leek, and crushed garlic; and fermented. Or they could be processed like kkaktugi, a somewhat dry, diced radish kimchee. Omit if the fresh is not available.
RADISH, MU
Also known by its Japanese name, daikon, Korea is famous for the sheer variety of its radish dishes. Choose firm, unblemished specimens, if possible with some greenery attached, which is edible. Scrub well before grating or slicing for use raw in salads or pickle whole.
LETTUCE, SANGCH'U
The word sangch'u seems to have originated from saengch'ae, 'raw vegetable,' from the fact that it is usually eaten raw. Any soft-leafed lettuce may be used, for instance butter, mignonette or coral.
CHIVES, PUCH'U
Chives are known to have come "from the northwestern part of China. Use the flat-leafed Chinese variety as far as possible. The conventional chive is a reasonable substitute, but doesn't hold as well as the flat-leafed variety.
KOREAN LETTUCE SSUMBAGWI
Korea is perhaps the only country to enjoy kimchee made of bitter ssumbagwi and kodulppaegi (Ixeris sonchifolia, a variety of lettuce). For an inauthentic substitute, try other bitter leaves such as curly endive (frisee) or rocket (arugula).
EGGPLANT, KAJI,
Eggplant is thought to have originated in Southeast Asia and India, and is also used in Korean recipes. Use slender (Japanese) eggplants, not the bulbous variety—the seeds are too large and they need salting before they can be used.
DRIED RADISH OR CABBAGE LEAVES, SHIRAEGI
The outer cabbage leaves and radish stalks left over from making kimchee are also dried for use in the colder months for a variety of dishes, including shiraegi-kuk, a soup made with soybean paste and the dried leaves, a staple in ordinary Korean households, May be available in packets from good Asian grocers.
LEEK, P'A
Traditionally, leek was eaten with raw fish in spring and Indian mustard in winter; today, it is still an indispensible ingredient in fish dishes, as it neutralizes the fishy taste and removes harmful elements. Choose leeks that are firm, and wash them carefully to remove all the grit.
KOREAN WATERCRESS, MINARI
A seasonal garden green highly prized by Korean people for its taste, its crunchy texture, and its fragrance. Unless you know someone who has grown minari from seed, you'll have to use western-style watercress, which is more readily available. Wash and dry well before using.
INGREDIENTS: SEASONINGS AND PICKLED FISH
The seasonings and pickled fish and fish pastes are the ingredients that are used to stuff the vegetables in kimchee. During the fermentation process, it is these vital ingredients that produce the variety of flavors that make kimchee so distinctive.
GINGER, SAENGGANG
The taste of ginger is harmonious with most vegetables, and improves the flavor of food but does not spoil its original flavor. It is a popular seasoning of various kimchees. Use young ginger, and peel before using.
GARLIC, MANUL
Old Chinese books record that garlic was first brought to China during the Han Dynasty. The Korean prize garlic for its powerful smell and sharp taste. Choose firm heads (quorms).
CHILI, KOCH'U
A pungent spice that prevents the acidification of vegetables and the deterioration of lipids in pickled fish, it gives most kimchee their distinctive red color. Koch'ujang (red pepper paste) - known as Korean chili bean paste, available in jars from good Asian grocers -is made by fermenting soybean paste and red pepper powder.
WILD ROCAMBOLE, TALLAE
A plant (Allium monanthum) that used to grow all over China, which the Chinese called xiaosuan, 'small garlic.' Wild rocambole has been known to be a therapeutic plant from the earliest times. People enjoyed seasoned wild rocambole, wild rocambole kimchee, and wild rocambole kkaktugi. Omit if not available.
INDIAN MUSTARD, KAT
In general, kat, or Indian mustard, is like mustard seed, a variety of the Brassica juncea family. Use the brownish or reddish-brown seeds, available from Indian and Asian grocers and stores.
SALT, SOGUM
Most Koreans eat a mainly vegetarian diet and need more sodium than meat eaters. Use coarse sea salt for making kimchee unless otherwise specified. Salt is also an important element in fermentation, and contributes a 'tertiary' taste, a more complex flavour, to dishes.
PICKLED SHRIMP, SAEUJOT
Pickled