Kimchi

(CC) Photo: Yun-seon Hong
Cabbage kimchi served along with other Korean banchans.

Kimchi (김치), also transliterated as "kimchee", is actually a family of Korean vegetable-based pickles. They are a basic part of Korean cuisine, with many variants, although usually strongly flavored, featuring garlic and hot peppers. Kimchi is a key ingredient for Korean dishes such as kimchi stew and kimchi pancake and is often eaten by Koreans with ramen noodles and gimbap rolls. The side dish is generally regarded as one of the world's healthiest foods.

"Summer kimchi" is made from leaves and cores of the cabbage family, while "winter kimchi" is based on white radishes of the daikon family.