For the love of kimchi: How gochugaru titillated my taste buds

I can’t say my first mouthful of fiery hot kimchi, a side dish and hallmark of South Korean cuisine, was love at first bite. It happened at the start of a lightning-fast media visit to South Korea many years ago, where kimchi was the “star” of my first multi-course meal in the capital, Seoul.

Made from fermented Asian cabbage, the main ingredient, my first taste was soft, a little slimy, but chewy. Made by softening the brassica in a salty brine, then fermented and matured in a paste of garlic, ginger, Korean radish, spring onion and the essential robot-red Korean chilli paste gochugaru, which provides the distinct colour, heat and flavour. I've come to crave the stuff.

I was reminded of this trip when visiting Kokoro Asian Food Market in Rivonia, Johannesburg recently. Its origins can be traced to the mid-1990s when founder Okjoo Lee who, with her husband, had  travelled to SA on holiday a few years earlier and was so impressed they chose to settle here with their family.

It was their longing for the food of home — particularly the vast range of instant noodles,  an integral part of every Korean's diet — that inspired Lee to import a container load with the intention to sell to the small but growing local South Korean community. When the need to open a small retail outlet became apparent, this move was to become the foundation of the four branches of Kokoro: Rivonia, Parkmore, Sandton and Fourways.

When Lee retired she left the business in the capable hands of her son Danny, his wife, Hayley, and the friendly team who help shoppers with queries about their products.  

LUNCH WITH AN EXPERT

The best way to understand the culture, food and ingredients of a cuisine is to sit down to a meal with an expat, as I did with Danny Lee at their Rivonia store. Lee's life plan was going on a different path when he qualified with a degree in drama. But, when his mother lured him into the business, he took to it with passion. And clearly he loves it. He enjoys food and is animated about sharing Korean food culture — especially over many courses, as we did at the tables outside the store.  Plus, he cooks, too, and he tells me Koreans love eating and enjoy four meals a day.

Over an interesting plum extract drink, which he says Korea is famous for, and a sweet rice-milk beverage, we get stuck into plates full of food. As we eat, he discussed each dish and its ingredients and shared the name in English with the help of Mr Google. It was a feast and a journey of discovery into what makes Korean food so interesting to Westerners.

While I was there, the staff set out an array of freshly made and enticingly different street foods,  which they serve daily from noon. I watched as they whipped up rolls of kimbap, Korean sushi — clearly very popular as customers queued for the speciality which came beautifully rolled in brown paper, like a thick sausage, and  reasonably priced at R35 for 12 pieces.

MY LUNCH WITH DANNY LEE:

Kimbap or gimpap: Korean seaweed rice rolls and, unlike Japanese sushi, the Koreans don’t feature raw fish. The nori is rubbed with sesame oil just before serving.

Gyoza/dumplings: kimchi and pork dumplings.

Jajangmyeon: a noodle dish topped with a thick sauce of fermented black bean paste.

Jjamppong: Korean spicy seafood noodle soup.

Fried rice.

SHOP UP A STORM

Walking into Kokoro Asian Food Market is like checking out a new sweets store; it’s a sea of bright colours, the shelves groan with an array of unusual products and ingredients. There’s a vast selection of soy sauces, vinegars, oils, marinades and sauces. From chilli and bean pastes to powders, spices and seasonings. Stop and soak up the staggering wall of instant noodles — the different packaging and brands are a sight to behold.

Kokoro stocks Korean ice creams, teas, snacks, sweets and chocolates. There are freezers full of ready-made dumplings, tofu, plant-based foods and other delights. In one corner are huge bags of Korean short grain rice and for fresh Asian veggies there's a fridge featuring seasonal items. For any food lover, shopping here is a journey of discovery. The best part is their competitive pricing and many products are cheaper than those in local supermarkets.

• See marketkokoro.co.za or @market_kokoro