I love kimchi! I spent a lot of time in South Korea and it's at every meal. I love spicy food, so it was perfect for me. Usually, it refers to a spicy, fermented cabbage mixture, but it can be made with other vegetables. Below is an article from health.com about this wonderful and super healthy dish which it touts as one of the World's Healthiest Foods:
Here's the link: http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410300,00.html
Koreans eat so much of this super-spicy condiment (40 pounds of it per person each year) that natives say "kimchi" instead of "cheese" when getting their pictures taken. The reddish fermented cabbage (and sometimes radish) dish—made with a mix of garlic, salt, vinegar, chile peppers, and other spices—is served at every meal, either alone or mixed with rice or noodles. And it's part of a high-fiber, low-fat diet that has kept obesity at bay in Korea. Kimchi also is used in everything from soups to pancakes, and as a topping on pizza and burgers.
Why to try it: Kimchi (or kimchee) is loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, but its biggest benefit may be in its "healthy bacteria" called lactobacilli, found in fermented foods like kimchi and yogurt. This good bacteria helps with digestion, plus it seems to help stop and even prevent yeast infections, according to a recent study. And more good news: Some studies show fermented cabbage has compounds that may prevent the growth of cancer.
What to do with it: There's no need to make your own; just pick it up in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or an Asian market for around $4 per 32-ounce jar (Sunja's is one popular brand). You can wake up your morning by scrambling eggs with kimchi, diced tomatoes, and mushrooms. Use it as a wrap filling or to top a baked potato. Or try Spicy Beef and Kimchi Stew, which won our test kitchen's top rating.
This recipe is high in sodium (due to the soy sauce and the kimchi), so if high blood pressure is a concern for you, omit the soy sauce, which will bring the sodium down about 200 milligrams.
