IS ALREADY IN THE WORKS. THE ASIAN POPULATION, FASTEST GROWING RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUP NATIONALLY RIGHT NOW, BUT IT’S STILL VERY SMALL DEMOGRAPHIC IN OUR STATE. YET IT’S A THRIVING COMMUNITY. AND THIS WEEKEND YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT KOREAN FOOD AND CULTURE. GENEVIEVE GLASS IS LIVE TO TELL US ABOUT THE KIMCHI FESTIVAL. GENEVIEVE WORLD TODD THERE ARE ABOUT 42,000 ASIAN AMERICANS IN OUR STATE. THAT’S JUST ABOUT 2% OF OUR STATE’S POPULATION, ASIAN, ABOUT 4800 OF THEM ARE OF KOREAN DESCENT, MANY OF THEM LIVING RIGHT HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE. I LEARNED HOW THEY’RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING THEIR CULTURE THIS WEEKEND. KIMCHI, IT’S A FERMENTED VEGETABLE DISH, USUALLY MADE FROM CABBAGE. OH, I AM FROM SEOUL. YOU’RE FROM SEOUL? YEAH, WE ARE. TAEGU. YEAH, IT’S A TRADITIONAL KOREAN DISH. AND IS THE NATIONAL FOOD OF SOUTH KOREA WE CAN PURCHASE AT THE SUPERMARKET OR KOREAN GROCERY MARKET, BUT WHEN THE PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER MAKING KIMCHI AND THE TASTE IS FANTASTIC STICK, THEY’RE MAKING OVER 1,000 POUNDS FOR THE K-FOOD KIMCHI FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY. SO CHECK THIS OUT. I’M GOING TO SHOW YOU THE PROCESS. FIRST, YOU HAVE TO SOAK THIS CABBAGE FOR ABOUT EIGHT HOURS, THEN YOU GO ON TO MAKE THIS CHILI PASTE, WHICH IS FILLED WITH, OF COURSE, PEPPERS, RADISH, GREEN ONIONS, GARLIC, FISH SAUCE. AND THEN THESE LOVELY LADIES HERE, THEY ARE ASSEMBLING IT. AND I’M GOING TO HAVE A TASTE RIGHT NOW. OH, YEAH, YEAH. OH, THANK YOU. OH, GOOD. THE WORD TARGET 7 SUPERFOOD IS KIMCHI. IT’S NOT JUST A TREAT FOR YOUR TASTEBUDS. KIMCHI IS VERY NUTRITIOUS AND IS PACKED WITH PROBIOTICS, HELPING TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY GUT AND DIGESTION FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT DIET. AND THEY ALSO USE KIMCHI. ALSO, THERE ARE MORE THAN 180 RECOGNIZED VARIETIES OF KIMCHI. THREE OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE SHOWCASED AT SATURDAY’S KIMCHI FESTIVAL. THERE’S GOING TO BE KIMCHI DEMONSTRATIONS, ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR SALE, AS WELL AS KOREAN STREET FOOD. THE REASON WE DO THIS ONE IS SO WE ALSO SHARE TRADITION, ESPECIALLY THE MAKING KIMCHI WITH NOT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY. IT’S A CHANCE FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT THE KOREAN COMMUNITY AND THE GROWING DIVERSITY IN ALBUQUERQUE. THE FESTIVAL IS SATURDAY FROM 11 TO 4. NO REGISTRATION OR TICKETS REQUIRED. I’M GOING TO SHOW YOU WHERE IT IS. IT’S GOING TO BE RIGHT HERE AT THE KOREAN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO. IT’S ON MENAUL, NEAR EUBANK.
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Celebrating Korean culture at the K-Kimchi Festival
Updated: 2:42 PM MST Nov 17, 2023
The Asian population is the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group nationally, yet in New Mexico, it remains a small demographic. There are 42,000 Asian Americans in the state, comprising just two percent of the population. Out of the 42,000 Asian Americans in the state, 4,800 are of Korean descent, with the majority living in Albuquerque. This Saturday, the Korean Community Center of New Mexico is hosting a Kimchi Festival, offering an opportunity to delve into Korean food and culture. This festival serves as a celebration of their culture.Kimchi, a traditional Korean dish and the national food of South Korea, takes center stage at the festival. Made from fermented vegetables, typically cabbage, it holds cultural and culinary significance. “We can purchase Korean grocery market kimchi at the supermarket, but the taste when people work together, it’s fantastic,” said Soo Lee, the principal at the Korean Language School.Beyond being a treat for the taste buds, kimchi is a nutritional powerhouse. Packed with probiotics, it promotes a healthy gut and aids digestion. The festival will showcase three of the 180 recognized varieties of kimchi, allowing attendees to explore the diversity within this beloved dish.There will be kimchi-making demonstrations, arts and crafts for purchase as well as Korean street food. “The reason we do this is to share our traditional way of making kimchi not only with our community but also with the broader New Mexico community,” Lee explained.He said this festival is a platform to learn about the Korean community’s rich heritage and celebrate its growing diversity in Albuquerque.K-Kimchi Festival is Saturday, Nov. 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Korean American Association of New Mexico, at 9607 Menaul Blvd. NE. No registration or tickets are necessary.
The Asian population is the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group nationally, yet in New Mexico, it remains a small demographic. There are 42,000 Asian Americans in the state, comprising just two percent of the population. Out of the 42,000 Asian Americans in the state, 4,800 are of Korean descent, with the majority living in Albuquerque.
This Saturday, the Korean Community Center of New Mexico is hosting a Kimchi Festival, offering an opportunity to delve into Korean food and culture. This festival serves as a celebration of their culture.
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Kimchi, a traditional Korean dish and the national food of South Korea, takes center stage at the festival. Made from fermented vegetables, typically cabbage, it holds cultural and culinary significance.
“We can purchase Korean grocery market kimchi at the supermarket, but the taste when people work together, it’s fantastic,” said Soo Lee, the principal at the Korean Language School.
Beyond being a treat for the taste buds, kimchi is a nutritional powerhouse. Packed with probiotics, it promotes a healthy gut and aids digestion. The festival will showcase three of the 180 recognized varieties of kimchi, allowing attendees to explore the diversity within this beloved dish.
There will be kimchi-making demonstrations, arts and crafts for purchase as well as Korean street food.
“The reason we do this is to share our traditional way of making kimchi not only with our community but also with the broader New Mexico community,” Lee explained.
He said this festival is a platform to learn about the Korean community’s rich heritage and celebrate its growing diversity in Albuquerque.
K-Kimchi Festival is Saturday, Nov. 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Korean American Association of New Mexico, at 9607 Menaul Blvd. NE. No registration or tickets are necessary.