Nigerian participants at the Korea Culture Center Nigeria (KCCN) Kimchi Week have been encouraged to view Kimchi as a concept that can be localized for optimal accessibility, and a recommended palate for their gut health.

At the three-day event held November 19 -21, to mark the 2025 Korean Kimjang Day (a week-long Kimchi-making Festival), the participants spanning – the general public, the media, Hallyu content creators and expatriates, exited the sessions with the idea of Kimchi as a concept that they can localize by substituting the main vegetables with its locally grown ones, mix them with the Gochugaro (Korean red chili powder), ferment, for increased potency before eating.

As a bonus, Kimchi is rich in probiotics (live microorganisms as bacteria and yeasts) which is good for the gut health, the elderly and the diabetic.

Varieties of Kimchi exist, from ‘Baechu (Napa Cabbage-based) Kimchi’ to ‘Oi Sobagi (Cucumber) Kimchi’, the ‘Kkakdugi (Diced Radish) Kimchi’, to the ‘Pa (Green/Spring Onion) Kimchi’, and the ‘Chonggak (Picked Radish) Kimchi’.

Generally, Kimchi dish came about in historical Korean society in their search of a means to eat fresh vegetables year-round even in the winter. The secret lies in the fermentation of the vegetable and sauce – which enhances the presence of healthy bacteria and yeasts in the food. The longer the period of fermentation, the more potent the Kimchi.

Also important is the ‘Myeolchi’ (seafood-based) sauce, which consists of salted and fermented anchovies.

Fermentation process for Kimchi can stretch from a week to a month, three to six months, a year and more. Each Korean family have a specific way and duration of fermenting their Kimchi, which they kickstart at the Kimjang Festival.

To prepare a localized version of your Kimchi, KCCN Hansik Cooking Instructor, Sharon Pwavi Babale recommends:

“First, wash and dip your main vegetable (be it cabbage, cucumber, radish, scallion/spring onion) in sea salted water for eight hours. Air it out to reduce excess water. Layer it with the Korean sauce – consisting of Korean radish, chopped onion, green onions, fish sauce (Myeolchi), a teaspoon of small dry shrimp, chopped garlic and ginger, and Gochujang paste, ensuring its thoroughly covered with the sauce. Place it in a Ziplock bag, plastic or silver contain with airtight lid, then store in the fridge – with consistent cooling temperature for as long as you want.”

“Kimchi is more of a concept, in the sense that it is more about the fermentation of the vegetables, with the sauce that makes it Kimchi.”

While the main Korean fish sauce like Myeolchi isn’t quite accessible in the Nigerian market, Babale believes a local version of it exists that can be substitute – “We just have to sit and really formulate the recipes. I am sure we will be able to come up with something.”

Meantime, nutritionist/dietician, Beatrice Kayode said her interest in Kimchi lies in its rich healthy benefits – probiotics, which she said is good for gut health, the elderly, the diabetic and terminally ill patients.

“My goal today is to know the basic ingredients that makeup the Kimchi, and how to pair it with our own local vegetables. I want to try out the ‘Oi Sobagi Kimchi’, to know if it can be made with African spinach. Because Kimchi is simply any vegetable you can harvest, season, adding the Korean sauce.

“Having gotten my answer, I will try ‘Oi Sobagi’ first with my family, and a few elderly people around me. I am not going to substitute anything in the sauce at the moment because I need the health benefits. However, if doesn’t appeal to the elderly people, I can then find some other way to refine the sauce.”

For improved gut health, Kayode advised Nigeria to make tomato stews with ginger, garlic and locust beans (Iro in Yoruba) – which is also rich in probiotics, and occasionally, substitute stew with Eforiro or Salad, when eaten with rice.

“Also, don’t overlook unsweetened Greek yoghurt, and the enriched nutrition it holds when paired with fruits, pumpkin or chia seeds.”