Singeli Agnew

The Land of the Morning Calm right here in Albuquerque

From the moment I walked into A-Ri-Rang Oriental Market I knew I was in for a treat. The place smelled like Korea. Which can be either a good thing, or not, depending on your sensibilities. For me it was a good thing; the smells transported me back to my tour of duty with the Army in Korea. I was introduced to the country's cuisine the first day of duty in the Land of the Morning Calm, as it's called, and I immediately fell in love with kimchi. Kimchi is the spicy garlic-laden staple that is eaten at every meal. You'll find it all over the menu, served with rice, in soup or accompanying the main dish as a panchan (side dish). It can be made with several kinds of vegetables, but the most popular version is made with cabbage, which is marinated with a lot of garlic, vinegar and hot red chile. Traditionally, the mixture is then buried underground in a clay pot for almost a year and the result is a delicious spicy condiment that is eaten at every meal.

For most Koreans, food is always served with kimchi, a spicy side dish consisting of cabbage, red peppers, garlic and other ingredients. In addition to being weirdly delicious, kimchi is a good source of vitamins, fiber and calcium. The following recipe is from www.netcooks.com.