Is there anything better than salted, fermented cabbage with spices?
Not in New Jersey, because — earlier this week — the state Senate passed a resolution designating November 22 each year as annual Kimchi Day.
So, if you like topping your fried rice, hot dogs or patty melts (trust us on that last one), with South Korea’s favorite pickled condiment? Then tell Christmas to move over, because this is totally the holiday for you.
Annual Kimchi Day to celebrate New Jersey’s Koreans
This past Monday, Jan. 8, a bill to make Kimchi Day an actual, legitimate thing sailed through both houses of the Senate with (very) minimal opposition. Every November, therefore, the citizens of New Jersey will celebrate the Korean staple dish.
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But, if you think this is just another superfluous footnote to add to the Bergen County calendars, think again. The holiday, unlike National Chocolate Wafer Day, is loaded with significance.
New Jersey has an immense population of approximately 105,000 residents of Korean descent (with 60 percent of them living in Bergen County). Setting aside one day a year to acknowledge the group’s most iconic dish, the Senate stands, is a way to respect and celebrate the culture of Koreans throughout the state.
“Kimchi is our traditional food,” Han Ik Son, former president of the Korean American Association of New Jersey, told us in a prior article. He also said the dish is considered the national food of South Korea.
What is kimchi made of?
If you haven’t tried kimchi before, the dish is made up of pickled vegetables, most commonly cabbage, and spices. Spicy and flavorful, it is most commonly used as a topping on other foods, such as bibimbap; another staple South Korean specialty featuring eggs and meat over rice.
The mixture is also brimming with vitamins and probiotics, and has been widely acknowledged over time as having positive health benefits.
Beyond lowering rates of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes, however, the dish has immense sentimental value. In South Korea, kimchi has become so ingrained in the lives of locals that it is now a source of national pride and identity. Prior to each winter, residents celebrate Kimjang; the tradition of preparing kimchi to ensure that every household has enough to sustain it through the long, often harsh, cold season.
To the Korean population of North Jersey, the dish means just as much.
The passage of this resolution (which is not binding law, but rather an expression of collective sentiment), then, is not just a win for bland rice and naked short ribs, but for Palisades Park, Leonia, Fort Lee and more.
Where to get kimchi in North Jersey
Does all this talk about kimchi have you hungry for, well, kimchi?
Fear not — we’ve got you covered. Here are some great places to get the dish in North Jersey.
- 99 Ranch Market: This Asian supermarket carries jars of authentic kimchi (locally) made by The Bing Gre Kimchi Factory in Prospect Park. 450 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack; 201-489-8899, 99ranch.com.
- So Moon Nan Jip: A no-frills Korean BBQ joint that offers three varieties of kimchi, in addition to a full menu of Asian delights. 238 Broad Ave., Palisades Park; 201-944-3998, somoonnanjip.menu11.com.
- H Mart: Is there anything H Mart doesn’t have? The American Asian supermarket chain carries — as expected — multiple brands, varieties and spice levels of kimchi (as well as the ingredients to make your own). Three nearby locations: Paramus, Edison and Ridgefield; hmart.com.
- Kimchi Smoke: Kimchi is served on the side of barbecue dishes at this popular Ridgewood smoked meat pop-up. 2 Godwin Ave., Ridgewood; 201-447-6653, kimchismoke.com.
- Keo Ku: From Morris County? No problem. Keo Ku, a Korean barbecue restaurant in Parsippany’s got your kimchi (and date night) needs covered. 245 Route 46, Parsippany; 973-244-0032, koreanbbqnewjersey.com.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can’t find her in Jersey’s best restaurants, she’s probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.