Kimchi’s age

Here’s this week’s tip on Korean language and customs:

Q:
I’ve seen Korean restaurants serve various kinds of kimchi that are aged differently. Some cabbage kimchi is served very fresh, while other versions taste extremely sour and smell so pungent that, unless one was advised not to, one would throw them out. We foreigners have no way of knowing such varieties.

A:
Kimchi is fermented for varying periods of time, depending on the season and the purpose.

The cabbage kimchi that’s freshly seasoned and served almost immediately is called geotjeori. Often mixed with sesame oil and fresh vegetables, the dish is closer to a salad.

Moderately fermented kimchi can be found almost everywhere, but at deli shops specializing in kimchi, you can ask for “deoligeun” kimchi, a less fermented type, or “mugeun” kimchi, an aged kimchi.

Overly aged kimchi is popularly known as sinkimchi in Korean, as sin in Korean means sour. Old or aged kimchi is often a preferred choice in making fried rice, stew or soup.

These days, diners, who seek nostalgia in Korean food, have begun to enjoy mugeunji, or kimchi aged for more than a year.