What is Kimchi?

There are a few good answers for that:

a. Kimchi is Korean for pickled vegetable. There are many many types of kimchi.  When people talk about kimchi they are usually referring to kimchi made from Napa cabbage.

b.  Kimchi is health food.  Heath Magazine named kimchi in the top 5 healthiest foods in the world.  Kimchi is high fiber, low sodium and delicious!  Some people believe that it helps fights cancer.  

c. Kimchi is an acidic and delicious pickled complement to a dish.  The dish may be as simple as some rice and veggies. 

Or it might be as rich as a cheese steak sandwich.  Usually you eat kimchi with something else, but Mama O's Premium Kimchi's are great straight out the bottle too!   

How is it good for you?

Kimchi is full of probiotics that are really good for your digestive and immune system. It's high fiber, low calorie, and also full vitamins: A,B1,B2, C, Calcium, and Iron.

What can you do with it?

Kimchi goes with everything. Except wine. Try it as a replacement for sauerkraut on hot dogs.  As a burger topping. Diced up in a salad, omelette, or on raw oysters.  Kimchi tacos are really popular.  The possibilites are endless, we'd love to hear about your kimchi recipes.  Some of our favorites are macaroni and kimcheese and grilled kimcheese sandwiches. Kimchi tastes even better when you cook it...

Can you cook with it?

Yes!  Cooking with kimchi changes the flavor profile dramatically. It makes the flavor more intense yet mellows  out the acidity some at the same time. Mama O's Premium Kimchi is naturally fermented and it never goes bad. It may pass a peak of fermentation where you do not enjoy it as much but that is when you cook with it. Kimchi jigae (kimchi soup) is a great and simple dish to prepare and really good for the winter.

How long will it last?

Kimchi typically will last in your refrigerator for up to a year. It is in a continual state of fermentation like wine.  The more you expose the kimchi to air (i.e. opening the jar, almost empty jar) the faster it continues to ferment. Don't worry if there are bubbles from carbonation. That is natural and a good sign that all the beneficial probiotics are hard at work. And if the kimchi becomes too fermented for your tastes, you can always cook with it.