The Ultimate Kimchi: Gaesong Bossam Kimchi

Here is another unique kimchi I just found out about. I believe it might not be well known due to the complexity of preparing it from an assortment of expensive ingredients thus being reserved for royalty in the past. It is bossam kimchi that was once prepared in the royal kitchens in Gaesong during the Goryeo Dynasty (918 A.D. — 1392 A.D.) of ancient Korean history.

Likely, only a few lucky Koreans have ever tried this supreme delicacy, as it the most difficult to prepare the royal and rare ingredients.

“Bossam” means to wrap something. As can be seen in the steps below by the master chef, she prepares bossam kimchi by wrapping an assorted select ingredients into a cabbage leaf.

The ultimate kimchi: Goryeo Gaesong royal bossam kimchi

Possam Kimchi, Cabbage Wrapped Kimchi
https://www.koreanfeast.com/kimchi-3/wh … ed-kimchi/

This kimchi is a provincial specialty of Gaesong, the ancient capital city of the Koryo Dynasty (918–1392). In the Royal Kitchen, where it originated, it was simply called “ssam kimchi.”

It is the most attractive and refined kimchi among all kimchi.

The list of the ingredients in the original recipe is very extensive, including rare and hard to find ones such as gingo nuts, chestnuts, Korean watercress, jujubes, persimmon, dried shrimp and more.

Even to Korean cooks, this kimchi making is rather challenging.

Preparing bossam kimchi:

The Practice of Making a Large amount of
Kimchi in time for Winter(KimJang) UNESCO 2013
(1min40sec)
https://youtu.be/qa27Kn6cd5s

The nutritional secrets of kimchi (7min28sec)
https://youtu.be/AzMLe9w8dsE

Kimchi probiotics prove effective against MERS coronaviruses (1min34sec)
https://youtu.be/nY6w3Rhz33Q