Kimchi (김치)
Fermented vegetables
Origin: Korea
About: Kimchi is the most famous of Korea’s foods, being a staple dish eaten with almost every meal. It is traditionally made with Asian (Napa) cabbages, but there are many different vegetables used in the making of kimchi (such as daikon radishes or cucumbers). The red color and heat from Korean chillies is a relatively new addition to kimchi - chillies were first introduced to Korea early in the 17th century. Kimchi made with chillies has now become the standard for kimchi in the modern day. A versatile food, it is used as a side or as an ingredient in the classic Korean stew, kimchi jjige (a soupy stew comprised of kimchi and other meat and vegetables).
Ingredients: Vegetables (e.g. Asian cabbage), salt, garlic, ginger, spring onions, onions, chillies
Uses: side dish, used as the main ingredient in kimchi jjige
Major microbes: Weissella koreensis, Weissella soli, Lactobacillus sakei, and Leuconostoc gelidum, Leuconostoc kimchii
Fermentation time: 2-3 weeks at fridge temperature (depending on vegetables and cuts use
Products available in 500ml glass jar, 1 kg vacuum packed
Stockiests:
- The Fermentary, Makers Landing (by reservation only)
- Sepial's at Oranjezight Market on weekends
- Olive Branch Deli, Kloof Street, Cape Town
- Organic Route, Hout Bay
*If you are interested to stock our kimchi, please contact us by email.
Gochujang (고추장)
Fermented red chilli pepper paste
Origin: Korea
About: One of Korea’s most famous culinary items, gochujang was originally consumed for medicinal purposes but quickly became a staple in Korean cuisine. It is one of the most commonly found ingredients in Korean recipes, often used as a base for many sauces and marinades. Being made from chillies, it is fairly spicy, but there are notes of sweetness thanks to the variety of chillies used in Korea.
Ingredients: meju powder (fermented soybean powder), malted rice syrup, salt, water
Uses: sauces, condiments, marinades
Major microbes: Bacillus subtilis and others
Fermentation time: 1+ year
Doenjang (된장)
Fermented soybean paste
Origin: Korea
Ingredients: meju (fermented soybean blocks), salt, water
About: A fermented paste made from soybeans and brine, doenjang is thick and full of umami flavours. It is often eaten as is (as a dip for vegetables) or mixed together with other ingredients (such as gochujang, garlic, sesame oil) to make ssamjang, which is commonly served as the dipping paste for many of Korea’s most commonly found foods. It is also the main ingredient of doenjang jjige, a soup made from doenjang and other vegetables.
Uses: soups, sauces, condiments
Major microbes: Bacillus subtilis and others
Fermentation time: 2-3+ years
Makgeolli (막걸리)
Raw rice wine
Origin: Korea
About: One of the oldest alcoholic beverages in Korea, makgeolli is a low-alcohol beverage made from rice. It was brewed at home and considered the drink of choice for farmers and the rural working class. It has made a resurgence in modern times due to its low alcohol content and affordability.
Ingredients: Rice, nuruk (fermentation starter made of wheat and rice) and yeast
Uses: drinking, can be used as a starter for steamed breads
Major microbes: Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus oryzae, Lactobacilli, Pichia anomala and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Fermentation time: 1 or 2 weeks
* We are currently developing a new hybrid drink with local ingredients and methods.
Kombucha
Origin: North East Asia
About: Kombucha is a drink made with sugared tea which is fermented with bacteria and yeast to produce a probiotic drink.
Ingredients: SCOBY, water, sugar, tea
Uses: drinking, salad dressings
Major microbes: Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus nagelii, Gluconacetobacter,
Gluconobacter, and Komagataeibacter and others
Fermentation time: 7 - 30 days around 20-30°C
Meju (메주)
Korean fermented soy block also worked as a fermentation starter
Origin: Korea
About: Meju is the central ingredient in the creation of Korea’s fermented condiments. It is created using molding cooked soybeans into bricks. These bricks are tied together with straw from rice plants, which carry the necessary bacteria for meju to ferment. They are usually air dried and are often washed and sun-dried for use at a later date.
Ingredients: soy beans (with rice, barley or wheat; depending on use case)
Uses: used in the creation of doenjang, gochujang, and ganjang (Korean soy sauce)
Major microbes: Aspergillus oryzae, Bacillus subtilis
Fermentation time: Up to 6 weeks around 30°C
Nuruk (누룩)
Korean fermentation starter
Origin: Korea
About: Nuruk is one of fundamental starters in Korean fermentation. It is made using various grains, which are moistened, formed into blocks and hung to dry and ferment at a specific temperature range to ensure the growth of the correct mold.
Ingredients: Wheat, rice, barley
Uses: creating alcoholic beverages such as makgeolli, cheongju (clear rice wine), soju (distilled spirit)
Major microbes: Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus oryzae, Lactobacilli, Pichia anomala and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Fermentation time: 2-4 weeks at 20–30 °C