They call it gochugaru, as for the actual pepper used, this place may get some in stock but at least it's a start.

http://www.sherwoodsseeds.com/products/16063845-kimchi-traditional-korean-variety-chile-heirloom-pepper-premium-seed-packet

Thanks to both of you. I’ve never ordered from Sherwood Seeds, nor have I ever ordered seeds on Amazon so I’ll look into both venues.

Evergreen seeds carries 4 Korean hot varieties, including the popular Winner. http://evergreenseeds.com/hotpepper.html  Adaptive has a Korean op https://www.adaptiveseeds.com/seed-tag/korea/ Supposedly this was traditional variety used in gochugaru

You might want to look at a pepper called Hong Gochu. Typically used in making kimchi. You can ferment them and then make a paste or you can dry them and grind into powder.

Seeds available from Remy at The Sample Seed Shop or you can send me your info and I'd be happy to send you some seeds.

Great pepper. I grow it every year.

Thanks. I’ll try the Sample Seed Shop first. I might want to purchase these every year.

I placed an order with Sample Seeds. I ordered the Hong Gochu and also saw that they have a Korean Green pepper that I’ll try. In past I was hoping that Flaming Flare (Fresno), Krimzon Lee, Mesilla or another easy available seed would work but many people are more sensitive to different pepper flavors than me.

Thanks to all for the recommendations. I may try them all in the coming weeks.

Really depends on what you want to do with the peppers. There are peppers suitable for gochu-garu (powder or flakes), and others suited for gochu-jang (paste), and still others meant for fresh/raw consumption (like put-gochu). For the latter, I like Hanyang Gochu, especially if planted close to a Serrano or Thai plant, which crossed to some incredible peppers.

Thank you Grace. Is there a type that you would recommend for Kimchi?

You could probably go to a korean food store and buy some of their dried peppers. If they didn't use too much heat to dry them, the seeds would still be good and you could just plant them. Maybe worth a shot.

Hi Barrie,

Well, for kimchi, you're needing gochu-garu (pepper flakes), and when it comes to that, Yeongwol peppers are allegedly the best. I have friends and relatives in Korea send me this particular pepper flake in bulk, so I've never grown them and have never had any seeds. But it does make a good kimchi.

That said, honestly - there are really good brands in the supermarket that yield the same level of good homemade kimchi. I often use it if I am out of this pepper flake without any issues, and in some ways, with better color.

Thanks, Grace. I’ll search for that Yeongwol pepper seeds or might need to shop for seeds at a specialty store since that name has not appeared in any seed catelogs that I have. My goal is not to make kimchi but to grow fresh peppers for customers who make it. It makes me wonder why those customers have expressed interest in fresh peppers.

I made some Kimchi a couple years ago and went to a Korean market and bough huge bag of the gochu-garu (pepper flakes). They were really inexpensive. Less than I could have bought them for and so much easier than having to process them. I still have a quart jar in my cupboard. I think it was about $5 for the big bag....enough for probably 30 quart jars of Kimchi.

My wife is from South Korea and makes kimchi from gochugaru flakes we get at the Korean grocery. Huge bag for little money. Her mother sends pepper flakes sometimes from South Korea that she grows and dries, and that tastes better than the store kind. Hotter. Don't know what that kind is. I'm going to grow some Korean peppers this year too.

Have her mother send you some seeds so that you have the exact same variety as her.

Now there's an idea!

Not that this is a topic about making kimchi, but since we’re taking about it, and in case anyone is interested, the “best” brand of pepper flakes for kimchi in both color and taste that I’ve found domestically is this one, by Assi. It has a slight sweetness to it with a very vibrant flavor that makes it perfect for fresh kimchi. That said, it’s pricey. For a 5-LB bag I store in my freezer, it’s about $40—and more expensive in smaller packages (about $13-15 per pound).


I sprinkled some of that and the pepper flakes I have that is brought in from Korea (the black bag) to show the color difference. The good Korean pepper flake is on the left; the commercial Assi powder on the right. :)

I’m pleased to see we are now on the topic of kimchi. I’ve been interested in making it for a couple of years and finally have taken the plunge. I was pleased with my first batch and I’m now making a second batch. Here it is after 3 days:

I’m not very knowledgeable about kimchi, so I’m interested in learning if the color is ok. The commercial brand available at my grocery store is much redder than this. In fact, I added some of my homemade paprika powder to try to improve the color.

One of the problems I’ve had learning about kimchi is thinking there is a specific pepper variety to use. I’ve come to the conclusion that, unlike paprika varieties that have specific names, kimchi is made with gochugaru but this is a term that only indicates pepper flakes suitable for making kimchi. Please weigh in and straighten me out if I haven’t got this correct.

Kentishman,

Honestly, kimchi is whatever you want to make it, as long as the original vegetable you're using (be it cabbage, radish, cukes, whatever) is properly seasoned and fermented. So there is no "right" color.

However, if you're making "traditional" kimchi (as in the red kind served in every Korean restaurant), then a case could be made that yours isn't quite the right color on account of the lack of pepper powder/flakes you used. As you can see below, the sheer amount of gochugaru I use compared to the amount that you used is exponentially different. (BUT - there is a thing called "baek kimchi" - which is "white kimchi," and while that contains no pepper flakes, yours can totally pass for that).

Also, there's a lot of liquid in there for the amount of cabbage you used for three days' fermentation. Is that brine water, or is that the water that the cabbage released? How long did you season the cabbage for before mixing it up?

The photo below is immediately after I mixed it up.

Ultimately, as mentioned, kimchi is all about preserving vegetables and creating flavor through fermentation. I could make a case that specific fermented seafood sauces, ginger, radishes, etc. must be used, etc. (though some of these are necessary to yield the expected flavor), but that's simply not true. If you properly season and ferment, and it lasts in a perfectly edible condition in your fridge for a year or more without molding or spoiling, then it's kimchi. (The point is you CAN eat it after a year without ending up in the ER--not that one SHOULD keep kimchi for a year necessarily.)

(Sorry, Barrie, for hijacking your thread!)

Thank you Grace for the helpful comments. The clear liquid above the cabbage mixture is brine in a plastic bag. I read about doing that as a way to seal off the kimchi and keep things anaerobic. I soaked the cabbage for 15 hours in brine before mixing it with the other ingredients. I added the amount of pepper flakes specified in the recipe I followed, but it seems like it’s nowhere near as much as is needed. I can fix that.

I love to try new pepper varieties and have also grown gochugaru peppers (thanks Grace for clarifyng the actual pepper name). However, I have also had a gigantic bag of commercial gochugaru pepper flakes on hand forever and am still trying to get through it.

So now when I grow interesting new varieties that yield more than I can eat fresh I make regional dry pepper blends. So I have an Asian blend of gochugaru, tien tsin, chi chien, thai hot; also a new mex blend of jalapeno, new mex, anaheim, other green new mex types; caribbean blend of scotch bonnet, seasoning pepper etc; super hot blend of bhut jolokia or whatever else I have grown.

It's interesting how the blends even dry have such unique flavours for cooking.

I'll just jump in this thread because I never miss a chance to talk about fermented foods, kimchi happens to be one I like. I can't add anything useful on top of what Grace already said - but will only say this: eat a bit of pre-fermentation kimchi just after mixing it all, it's also super-tasty. Now I'm thinking I should make a batch. What I have in my fridge is 6+ months old and really ripe, good for stew or soups only.

I love kimchi too, what I have left in the fridge is also very ripe at this point. This is when I am glad I have chickens, I never feel bad when I want to get rid of old ferments, they are too happy to help out.

Isgen, good point. :)

But when you eat kimchi before it’s officially fermented, it’s called “gutjuri,” — which is in many ways tastier, but doesn’t keep long. You also make it a little sweeter from the start, and can use 7-Up to help up the acidity to simulate the effects of fermentation. :)

Hobby,
Unless it’s inedible, there is some use for old, ripe kimchi, and not just for soups and casseroles. Kimchi fried rice is best with sour/ripe kimchi. Or just plain fried kimchi.

Drizzle some sesame oil + a sliver of butter in a pan, toss in a big handful of sliced kimchi to fry. Add 2-3T of sugar, a dash of beef bouillon, and continue stir-frying. Add about one tablespoon of soy sauce (not too much or it becomes too dark), additional hot pepper flakes (if desired), and plate. Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions on top. I serve with rice, or on top of fresh tofu.

Grace - "gutjuri", I didn't know that, thanks!

I like to make potato patties with older kimchi. I just chop it up finely and mix it with about an equal amount of grated potatoes. I add a bit of flour to hold it all, form thin patties and fry in a quarter inch of oil. I like sour cream on top - Korean/Eastern European fusion! :)

Awesome Grace, thanks! I already do use it for a bibimbap/fried rice dish. So that's perfect.

Isgen, that's a great idea too, although I have to say that I have always failed at the grated potato latke type things... they always turn out raw, or too greasy, or too something. Any suggestions for me?

I just had an idea.. what about kimchi perogies?? If they do sauerkrout perogies why not right?

slightly old topic.. i have recently got into making my own kimchi and fermented peppers.

curious if anyone has/knows the variety of pepper that is typically used for kimchi.

the picture posted by Sugi (the Assi brand peppers) is the best and most authentic red pepper i have ever seen for use in kimchi and comes straight from Korea. the color, flavor and aroma is amazing, when hydrated, the peppers stains like crazy. i can get 1lb bags for around $5, which isn't too bad, but i'd like to grow my own. perhaps better flavor when grown yourself with organic fertilizers ;) not to mention unnecessary added salt the commercial powder has.

anywho, if anyone has grown a good pepper for kimchi and has a couple seeds to spare, or knows where to order some seeds i'd appreciate it. i have some seeds to trade here if one might be interested in swapping.