Why do I love Kim Chee?

I love kimchi/kimchee because of its magical fermented properties / good for your gut bacteria that help my body digest after a meal, keeping my gut strong and happy. To break it down kimchi / Korean pickles is fermented cabbage with spices, a Korean cuisine staple and so much more. As I understand it, kimchi is still prepared traditionally in some Korean homes by burying in a vessel under ground. I find this tradition to be so incredibly beautiful. The layers, history, process of preparing the kimchi, and the time it takes to ferment to then be enjoyed. I think of it like composting. It’s composting the food in our gut, alchemy, transforming what was once solid into digestible matter.

When I cook food and create dishes, I think about the ingredients and creating harmony with the six tastes. Through the lens of Ayurveda, encompassing the six tastes with each meal satiates the appetite. I also tune into my body and my gut, getting curious about why or what I’m interested in eating. Asking, how are the foods I’m preparing/eating going to affect my physical, emotional, mental bodies and well-being? Kimchi, for me, is so inspiring to cook with, because of its crunchy salty sour umami taste. It’s so fun for spicing up and adding heat, color, and texture to dishes. Also, transporting me into another time, space, dimension. Time traveling into the wonderful moments I have spent with family and friends over a meal with kimchi.

I don’t remember the first time I had kimchi, what comes to mind though, are my memorable and sweet travels to Korea with friends. The first time I travelled to Korea was when my best friend Kelly and I had a one day layover in Seoul on our way to Thailand. Equally excited about the adventures ahead and exhausted from the recent 16 hours of air travel. When we arrived in Incheon, near Seoul, it was past midnight and the city was alive! People were out enjoying themselves as if it were noon. Shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants, cafes and coffee shops were open. Food vendors were out lining the walking paths between buildings, and being a foodie I love to try new things. I stopped at the first food cart I passed for a steam bun filled with kimchi and cheese. The experience was electrifying and I was immediately enthralled and enraptured with the culture.

I think it’s the subtle nuances of our life experiences that are the magic, connecting us with one another, the Earth, nature, food, and our communities. 

These experiences sparked the recipe for Loving Lil’ Kim Cheez Tacos.