Kimchi making in Kimchi land!!!

One of the most amazing experiences and privileges I have ever had is to make kimchi with a wonderful Korean family in Buan.  This is something that only happens in Korea, and most foreigners don't get the opportunity.

Kimchi is a side dish that is ALWAYS served with meals in Korea, often with a number of other side dishes too.  It is made with cabbage and a chilli/garlic/fish/onion sauce (and probably lots of stuff I don't even know about......), and traditionally families made enough kimchi to last a whole year.  These days, many families no longer make it themselves, but buy it.

Our friend, Erickson, organised for about 16 of us to visit his grandmother (Mrs Yoon) one weekend in November, and together with his mother and 2 aunties, we spent Saturday morning helping.

We arrived Friday evening, and Mrs Yoon had organised for us to sleep in the Community Centre - this was a privilege too, as the locals gather there socially every evening, and they gave this up for us.....  These photos show us in the main room, and there were 2 smaller rooms to each side - we all slept on mats on the warm floor!  Fun for 1 night!

  

We were greeted at Mrs Yoon's home with a traditional Korean breakfast!!

Russell, Heather and Sara on the walk from the Community Centre
to Mrs Yoon place. 

Mrs Yoon had planted over 200 cabbages in her small garden, and the day before we arrived they had been picked, salted and ready for us to go!! The chilli paste was ready for us to add garlic, fermented fish (I think) and some green leaves (from some vegetable which will remain nameless, since I have no idea.....).

Tarp laid out, ready for the cabbages....

This is the chilli sauce, with crushed garlic on top, ready to mix in.

Mixing the sauce... note the gloves!! 

Cabbages on the tarp, paste at the ready, Mrs Yoon
demonstrating how to wipe the past on the cabbage - one leaf at a time!!

...and off we went - Mrs Yoon stayed where she was the whole time, us foreigners had to keep getting up and stretching our legs and backs!!!

Heather looking like she's working....
but the fact that she is standing up indicates otherwise......

When we were finished, we filled up the containers we had brought (so we could take some home) and the rest were put into containers for Erickson's family to take home.  I really hope some stayed with Mrs Yoon!!!!

We were then treated to lunch - boiled pork and fried bacon plus side dishes!  Yum!

Erickson and his lovely Mum!

Here we are, at the end of the day, with Mrs Yoon in the middle!!

Thank you to Erickson for organising such a wonderful experience for us, and to his Grandmother, Mother and Aunts for helping us all day!!  We'll never forget this one!