Kimchi Making Part 2

Today was the second half of Kimchi making.  I didn't get to help out nearly as much or spend as much time as I would have liked because I had Caleb (yesterday was Steve's day off so he had Caleb while I went to help participate.  Today he worked so I had Lil C and it is a lot harder to do anything with him in tow!).  But I did take a few pictures and learned some more about the process, should I ever decide to make my own (not yet likely, although I'm still holding out that I'll learn to enjoy it....It is really really good for you).

You can't see it too well in the picture but today they mixed everything together.  They laid down plastic and mixed all the shredded Korean raddishes (from yesterday), the green onions, hot pepper sauce, and fish sauce (which is the biggest thing I have against kimchi, if it weren't for the fish I might be okay....but I hear there are other kinds so we'll see).

Ingredients waiting to be added and mixed in.

After everything is mixed together, they take the cabbages (green things in the middle of the pile) and stuff them full of the mixture....Then they package it and it is ready to go.  I think it has to sit for a while to ferment/pickle but that is basically it (as far as I understood).

I learned today that the kimchi they made (with rice) will be enough to feed 400 families in need through the winter!  That's incredible.  One of the pastors explained that as long as needy families had kimchi and rice, they could make it through the winter.  The kimchi provides vegetables and fish (it is rich in vitamin C, as well as a number of other important vitamins).  I also learned that this church has been doing this every year for 21 years!  That is faithful service and was really cool to learn about, hear about and (kind of) participate in (although I'm sure I was more of a liability than an asset!). 

Thanks for learning with me!