Q: A friend just made a batch of kimchee and gave a jar to me and my husband. I'd love to include it in some recipes but am coming up blank as my husband HATES Asian cuisine and rice in particular (bizarre, I know). Any suggestions as to what I could make?
Sent by Christina
Editor: Christina, we would suggest working it into a sausage or pork dish, like a slow-cooked pork shoulder or a skillet of sausages and onions. The tang and spice of the kimchee complements that sort of dish really well, without overwhelming it.
Readers, any suggestions?
Related: Kimchi Crisis: South Korea's Cabbage Shortage
(Image: Kathryn Hill)

Comments (21)
I love kimchi in mexican food. One of my favorite foodcarts does a kimchi quesadilla that I duplicate at home a lot. Its also always good on tacos.
My husband makes a deliciously evil dish called butter kimchee, which is basically kimchee braised in tons of butter. The butter mellows the kimchee really nicely.
Kimchee soup is delicious, too. Add some kimchee to water or broth, add pork or shrimp, and serve over noodles.
I think it could be great as a condiment on a hamburger or hot dog.
Pancakes.
http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/kimchijeon
Maybe use it with noodles and/or some type of seafood.
I second the Korean Pancake suggestion. It's a fantastic way to use Kimchee and great for those who are starting out in Asian cuisine, because it does mellow everything out.
kimchee linguine? http://www.examiner.com/asian-food-in-los-angeles/linguine-with-kimchi-sun-dried-tomato-cream-sauce-recipe
when i was a kid, we used to mix it up in our spaghetti sauce. delicious. to this day, i like to eat spaghetti with kimchee right on top.
Kimchee grilled cheese, though the suggestion of kimchee quesadilla above sounds fantastic too. I usually use a pretty mellow or fresh cheese but even a mild cheddar is good.
Sweet potato kimchi latkes!
Epicurious: Sweet Potato Kimchi Pancakes, Yum!
We got some homemade kimchi right around Thanksgiving, and my husband had the idea to stir it into turkey noodle soup. It was amazing, and gave new life to something we were getting tired of.
Definitely try the kimchee pancake & butter kimchi.
Also:
-kimchee fried rice w/an egg over easy served on top
-kimchi potstickers (make sure to squeeze out all excess liquid and dice finely)
-i think closetcooking.blogspot.com has pretty creative ways of incorporating kimchi into his cooking. i haven't tried any of the recipes, but maybe you'll find something you like!
@maleyneil -- a burger joint near us serves an incredibly delicious hamburger with kimchee, bacon and a fried egg on top!
Kimchee Quesadillas are really good. I also like to fold Kimchi in my Chilaquiles, and chop it up and sautee it as a side dish.
Your hub maybe doesn't like 'Asian' food, but has he tried much Korean? Ddukboki is great with Kimchi in it.
Kimchi burgers (chop finely, squeeze of excess liquid and add to ground beef, then proceed as with traditional burgers)
Kimchi chiggae -- Combine in a large pot or wok: bite sized kimchi, 1 can tuna (drained), 1 package firm tofu in 1 inch pieces, any cut of pork you happen to have on hand (belly, shoulder, ground, etc) any liquid from the kimchi jar, and enough water to cover -- simmer 45 mins - up to 2 hrs, until kimchi is soft and tender
Kimchi pajeon - chop and drain kimchi, mix with 2 inch pieces of the scallion, stir into thin Korean pancake batter and fry
Would make a nice topping for Korean bbq tacos or quesadilllas!
Just had some killer kimchi asian pears from Betelnut in San Francisco... Diced and tossed, seemed simple, and delicious - sweet-spicy, crunchy-juicy, goodness!
I second the fried rice! Try bacon kimchi fried rice. Totally awesome!
Kimchi potstickers.
Kimchi in your tacos and burritos (you can heat/cook the kimchi with the main ingredients or just use as a condiment cold).
You can chop it up and add it to most any stews.
If you want to make something for freezing so YOU can enjoy it later, go with the potstickers (mandu in Korean) or kimchi pajeon (savory pancake sort of thing) which you should be able to freeze individually and reheat on the stovetop for later.
I second kimchi quesadillas. Here's the Kogi (Taco Truck) version: http://www.starchefs.com/features/mobile-restaurant-concept/html/kimchi-quesadilla-recipe-rou-choi.shtml Although really I just vote that you make some delish kimchi jjigae or kimchi bokkum bap (fried rice) and don't share w. your hubby. :)
oh my. all these kimchi ideas make me want to whip up a batch :)
Kimchi Yaki Udon! It is so easy to make. There's nothing better than kimchi and pork.
http://www.recipelook.co.uk/dishes/noodlicious/kimchi-yakiudon/
Kimchi Fried Rice is always a good option for leftover kimchi too. Mmm, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
my mom makes the best kimchi eveerrr. :))