Granny Choe’s Kimchi Salsa
04. Nov, 2010 
9 Comments
I was recently contacted by the company Granny Choe’s Kimchi Co. about trying their vegan kimchi, which was really exciting for me as it’s a food I’d never tried before. I don’t have anything against it, it’s just that the opportunity to try it had never come up, and I never sought it out. (And after looking around the Granny Choe website, I realized that most kimchi is made with fish sauce, so I wouldn’t have been eating it anyway!)
I wasn’t really sure what to expect, especially since there are special instructions about opening the jars over the sink since the contents can expand (?!) and leak. Fortunately I listened, because the contents do indeed bubble up when the jar is opened. Crazy!
I tried some of the original flavor on its own, and it was really spicy and tasty. I looked to the Granny Choe website for ideas of how to use the kimchi in recipes since I was totally lost, and I found a recipe for Kimchi Salsa that looked easy enough to throw together.
I think the familiarity of salsa was also appealing to me since I was dealing with such an unfamiliar food, but I also love that the recipe is a fusion of different cultures. And it’s a great fusion! I have to say, this was probably the best salsa I’ve ever had. It was so easy to make, and the flavors are so simple, yet so complex. The kimchi magically brings it all together and adds a great kick of spice. I will definitely be making this again!
Granny Choe’s Kimchi Salsa
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 small purple onion, diced fine
3/4 cup Granny Choe’s original/cabbage kimchi, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt to taste
Combine ingredients in a medium bowl, and serve with tortilla (or your favorite) chips.
Now I just need to find a recipe for the mild white salsa. Any suggestions?
Kim chi is one of my FAVORITE foods. Most do (unfortunately) have fish sauce in them. Luckily, my best friend’s Korean stepmother will occasionally make me kim chi sans animal products. <3
Kim chi is typically used as a type of pickle or condiment. I love it on top of sushi rice. There are also soup recipes. Sometimes, I get really crazy and **Shift eyes** make kim chi tacos. Fusion! OMG!
Now I have to run to Whole Foods and get another jar of the fishless stuff.
I’ve never had kimchi, but that salsa looks mighty nice!
Yay, kimchi! I think I’d do something with avocado for the mild one, something along the lines of guacamole, but maybe chunky and not smooth?
Hey, Julia – that is such a great idea! Thank you!
i make kimchi by the gallon. i love it, i eat it almost every day. you’re so lucky they sent you white kimchi, too. i’ve never made it, but i love it (but it’s really hard to find vegan versions). anyway, my FAVORITE way to eat kimchi=
take a big bowl of warm short grain brown rice and mix it with a little salt and a lot of nooch and stir it up. then add a big mound of kimchi and stir it up. then eat! if you can add steamed broccoli, all the better. or cherry tomato halves. all good.
i need to do a kimchi post!
xo
kittee
I have also never had kimchi just because I’ve never encountered it. But it sounds tasty!
Hi, Haley! Kim chi tacos sound tasty! I might have to try that…
Hey, Kittee – thanks so much for the tip! It sounds really tasty, and I’ll definitely give it a try!