Eating kimchi - I have some questions

[ReedOfFate]

I am trying to improve my gut health, and amongst other things such as reducing my meat consumption (it was not high before) and eating more raw veg, I’ve bought some kimchi.

I’m not mad about it but it’s not unpleasant; after having it a couple of times though I’ve realised that the pot suggests using it like a condiment (on a burger or in a sandwich) where as I have eaten quite a lot, more like a main veg.

Do you eat kimchi? How much and how often? I also wondered whether I should have avoided sugar with it (have cut down but not stopped) and whether there will be an explosion in my guts once everything ferments together.

Any recommendations for good kimchi (I got a pot in Tesco but am open to suggestions!

Slow down on the eating it- all fermented foods need a gradual increase rather than a massive first portion. It's probably fine, but give yourself a chance.

You can eat it in larger quantities if you want to. The idea though is to eat a few different fermented foods so you increase the gut biodiversity.

Blue cheese, yogurt, miso, sauerkraut.
Needs to be fresh/chilled, not bottled.

I’ve just made my first batch but I’m a bit scared to try any

I find eating it on hot rice very nice. But it’s not a main dish, it’s a side.

I love an omelette and kimchi sandwich on granary bread.

I love it with a fried/poached egg or on top of avocado on toast

Covered in breadcrumbs is the best

Ah, some great ideas, thank you! I like the thought of it with eggs and with rice

Thanks @picklemewalnuts that all sounds sensible. I can’t eat blue cheese but I love yoghurt and miso so I’ll try and vary it all

Aside from obvious uses on Asian foods (stir fry, ramen noodles etc) I use it these ways -

On top of a bowl of plain rice
On top of a rice cake with some fresh tomatoes and avocado
On scrambled egg or an omelette

Interesting @Chateaudiaries what recipe did you use?

It was really expensive to buy actually so I’d be very happy to try and make it (but would also worry about getting it wrong and accidentally poisoning myself…)

I make my own, probably not authentic but it’s quick, easy and delish
I have it on the side of fried tofu rice, in Ramen and with any Oriental food as a side dish.

I had lunch at a fancy pants restaurant last week and there was some kimchi with the dish. I thought it was rank. Not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't that. Is it an acquired taste?

In a cheese toastie, with scrambled egg, lots of recipes if you Google it.

I love it on crackers with cheese - definitely not authentic.

Do be careful though. I once ate half a pot and got really terrible diarrhoea!

I had a kimchi grilled cheese sandwich earlier, it was great!

You don't want to cook it. That will kill the probiotics.

Re making it, just check a recipe. If you like it, get a kimchi box, it's easier than faffing with the jar and pebble. If not, Save a cabbage leaf, sterilise a pebble in boiling water, and a jar.

You shred cabbage, chilli, carrot, season it and add the right amount of salt by weight. Rub it together/beat it with a wooden spoon until it makes some liquid.

This is the tricky bit- sterilised jar that's exactly the right size. Pack it in, pushing it down, til there's a little liquid on the top. Put the cabbage leaf on and add a sterilised pebble to act as a weight- the pebble and leaf keep everything below the liquid which is important. Lid on, leave for a few days to bubble, then put in the fridge.

To be honest, I find it a big faff. Unreliable flavours. If you aren't attentive you get mould. And you make more than you want to eat!

For breakfast I have 2/3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt, 2 tablespoons kimchi and put 2 poached eggs on top. Weird but yummy

@ReedOfFate i used the recipe on the BBC good food website.

In Korea most meals came with small portion on the side served cold, not big portions.

My favourite way to eat it (apart from as a small side, a la wagamama) is on top of peanut butter on toast 😋

Thanks everyone - loads of food for thought (so to speak…) here.

I’ll continue with it but just as a small side, with other probiotic things perhaps in rotation and see how I get on. My stomach is rumbling like thunder at the moment but I read that gas is produced by the good flora killing the bad flora, so maybe it’s not too bad!

No idea about a pebble
I use 1 or 2 Chinese cabbages depending on the size and just sterilise a jar by pouring boiling water in. I don’t end up with more than we need
After 24 hours I keep it in the fridge