With the world temperatures increasing each year due to global warming, will Kimchi become a thing of the past? We dive into the details of why this well-known Korean dish is on the brink of extinction!
With every year reaching new record temperatures throughout the world and in Korea, will one of Korea's national dishes "Kimchi" become a thing of the past in the near future? This is the question that people have been asking since the main ingredient cabbage is grown in the winter.
So what is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a flavorful, sour, salty mix of fermented vegetables and seasonings that plays an important role in Korean culture. There are more than 200 variations of kimchi; the types of ingredients and the preparation method have a profound impact on the taste. Napa cabbage, radishes, green onions, garlic, and ginger, along with a specific red pepper, are used in classical baechu style, but region, seasonality, and cultural traditions influence the unique types of Kimchi. For me my favorite type of Kimchi is the traditional cabbage kimchi with extra spice, however I have tried making oyster Kimchi before, although it was not for me.
Let's take a look at why Kimchi is the most important Korean side dish!
Although it is an important side dish, in the North country of Gangneung (Gangwon province) Kimchi sadly, is falling victim to climate change, and as a result the amount grown, and the overall quality has been affected due to the rising temperatures.
Climate change
Napa cabbage, the main ingredient, thrives in cooler climates, and is usually planted in mountainous regions where temperatures during the key growing summer season once rarely rose above 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit), however if you look at this year for example the summer started earlier and had higher temperatures, the winter was more mild, and as a result prices of Kimchi sky rocketed!
Data from the government statistics agency shows the area of highland cabbage farmed last year was less than half of what it was 20 years ago: 3,995 hectares compared to 8,796 hectares.
Cost of Kimchi increasing
Since I moved to Korea over 4 years ago, I have also noticed that Kimchi has got more expensive, and where I would see a whole isle of it in the supermarket, the isle that stocked kimchi has got smaller.
Although most Koreans that I know make Kimchi themselves as a family, what will many Koreans do if the basic ingredients of Kimchi (Cabbage) become hard to get, or too expensive? I do think that the government should look into more mass storage options and eco greenhouses where the temperatures can be controlled in order to allow the Napa Cabbage to thrive.
Let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
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