I have always heard people talk about Korean food, especially kimchi, but I never really had the chance to try it. Not that I was avoiding it, but you know how life can be sometimes, you just don’t go looking for something until it comes to you. My first time eating kimchi actually happened without any plan.
A friend of mine had just come back from the States. It’s been long since he last came home, skoreo I decided to go spend a week with him before he travels back again. We had been catching up, talking about old memories, and sharing stories from his time abroad.
One evening, he came back from an outing carrying a small container. As he walked in, he placed it on the table. Out of curiosity, I asked him what it was. He smiled and said, “This is kimchi, one of my favorites when I was in the States.” He went on to explain that it’s a traditional Korean dish made from fermented cabbage, radish, and some spices.
Honestly, at first, I was a bit skeptical. The color was bright reddish-orange and it had this strong aroma that filled the air the moment he opened the lid. It wasn’t a bad smell, it was just different from what I was used to. In fact, the smell reminded me a little of Nigerian fermented foods like ugba or even the slightly sour scent you get from well prepared okro soup that has stayed overnight, but in a good way.
He noticed my hesitation and laughed. “Just try it,” he said. So I took a small portion with a fork. The first bite was a surprise. It had a crunchy texture, almost like freshly made coleslaw, but the flavor was completely different. The spiciness hit me first, then the tangy sourness followed.
It actually reminded me of eating abacha (African salad) from Nigeria, you know that mix of crunchiness, pepper, and a little sour taste from palm oil and fermented ingredients? Kimchi gave me that same satisfying combination, but with its own unique twist from the chili paste and ginger.
I took another bite, and before I knew it, I was already eating more than I planned. My friend was just watching me and smiling like he already knew I would like it. The more I ate, the more I understood why people talk about kimchi so much. It’s not just the taste, it’s the way it wakes up your taste buds and makes you want to eat more.
The aroma was now more pleasant to me, like something that belongs on a dinner table, and I started imagining how good it would taste alongside white rice or noodles. I even told my friend that next time, we should cook jollof rice and try eating it with kimchi to see how it blends.
That week with my friend turned out to be full of small adventures like this, and tasting kimchi was one of the highlights. Sometimes, the foods we hesitate to try can end up being the ones we enjoy the most. My first experience with kimchi was definitely a good one, and I think I’ll be looking forward to trying other Korean dishes soon.
