Kimchi's Indian Journey

: Integrating Korean Ferments into Rice and Curries

Quick Summary

Kimchi fits perfectly into Indian-style cooking. The spicy flavour from Kimchi is a great addition to fried rice, cheela, and many traditional Indian curry dishes. Used correctly, kimchi will connect the spiciness of Korean food with the comfort foods of India.

Deep Dive

The growing popularity of kimchi is not a trend; it's a change in our understanding of fermentation, spices, and how flavours transfer across borders. When paired with rice dishes, lentil-based snacks, or everyday curries with mild flavour, kimchi can add depth, tang and a completely new experience, while still being familiar to people in India. Kimchi not only complements Indian home-style cooking but also helps to create a rhythm.

A Tangy Kick to Indian Fried Rice

There’s an entire universe within the boundaries of Indian styled fried rice; quick and chaotic, and using what you already have available in your refrigerator. Add kimchi, and suddenly we have an entirely new kind of rice that still has the original notes of Indian cuisine but with an added brightness, playfulness and texture.

Kimchi brings out the heat from the roasted garlic, as well as enhances the smoky wok cooking flavours that are already familiar to the user. The texture of the dish changes—there is a soft crunch from the fermented cabbage that actually behaves a bit like a pickled vegetable, but also brings much more personality to it. Unlike traditional soy and vinegar, which tend to drown the rice dish with too many competing flavours, kimchi serves as a single ingredient shortcut to tang, depth and spice. A single spoonful of kimchi elevates the entire rice bowl while still allowing the person eating it to enjoy the warmth and comfort of Indian cooking.

Moong Dal Cheela With a Korean Twist

Moong dal cheela is a staple in Indian cuisine that can be dressed in numerous ways; fillings can range from paneer (cottage cheese) to vegetables, or it can be served unadulterated. Kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage) adds a pop of colour and texture without compromising the original flavours of the dish.

The combination of the gently cooked moong (green gram) flour batter with the crunchy texture of the kimchi creates a contrasting palate; the sweetness of the kimchi adds freshness and excitement, while the palatability of the moong dal flour provides warmth and comfort. When paired together, the two flavours complement each other in a way that cannot be achieved separately. Creating a dish using moong dal cheela as a base, with either kimchi mixed in or on top, results in an exciting street food expression.

Kimchi in Everyday Curries

It might seem counterintuitive to pair Indian curries with something as strong as kimchi, but the two work really well together. The key to making them work is to pick the right curries; go with lighter, simpler curries without all those heavy spices.

Dal tadka, tomato sauces, and coconut-based curries are all perfect candidates for kimchi because the acidity and spice of the fermented product enhance the flavour of the curry rather than overpowering it. Kimchi can be thought of as a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of the best homemade pickles.

When the kimchi is added at the end, it retains its crunchiness and spiciness, while when it is cooked a little, it becomes a part of the curry, creating a deeper, more balanced savoury flavour that enhances what you had created. The secret is to use only a little kimchi to enhance the curry.

How to Make Kimchi Work in Indian Dishes

People often make the error of considering kimchi solely as a garnish. But kimchi has much more influence in cooking as an individual ingredient and ingredient choice. When cooking with kimchi, you need to think about the time you add the kimchi to your recipe. If you want a more subtle and less pungent flavour, add the kimchi earlier in the cooking process than if you want a more bold, brighter flavour.

Another mistake cooks often make is over-seasoning with spices. Kimchi brings its own set of spices with the saltiness, spiciness and savoury (umami). If you use too much spice in addition to the kimchi, you will lose balance in your dish, and it will become "muddy." The best combination of kimchi with Indian food depends on your respect for both traditions in equal measure and not trying to dominate either of them.