Americans are also falling hard for kimchi. But the flabby texture and lack of hot pepper flavor are problematic. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. Korean Kimchi. (3½ stars), Long strips of cabbage — tucked so tightly into the jar that the lid bulges — deliver a garlic punch and a mild pepper hit. Whether you're spicing up homemade fried rice or adding tangy heat and depth to stir-fried noodles, this spicy raw kimchi from Lucky Food is fresh, crunchy, and packed with flavor. Kimchi Kooks instacart.com. (2 stars), Vegetarians may appreciate the traditional carbonated hit, the result of authentic fermentation. 7.5 calories, 170 mg sodium. The taste of this kimchi is funky, salty, and loaded with earthy umami flavor from the fish sauce. Tasting the stuff is not a task for wimps. 15 calories, 280 mg sodium. This list includes bone broth, anchovy sauce, and salted shrimp in addition to other more traditional spices. 7.5 calories, 170 mg sodium. It's a seriously versatile and flavor-packed culinary staple. The mother-and-son duo behind Brooklyn-based Kimchi Kooks uses traditional family recipes… Judging by their perfectly piquant Classic Kimchi, let's just say this duo has some serious Seoul. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off. This mega-affordable kit includes a 2-quart glass jar, a locking lid to use during fermentation, a regular lid to use for storage, Mama O's Kimchi Paste, and easy-to-follow instructions. 10 calories, 120 mg sodium. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Top-Rated Immersion Blenders for Soup Season, Made In's New Santoku Is My Go-To Kitchen Knife, Our Editors Tested the Best Nonstick Pans, The Best Boxed Pasta for Easy Weeknight Meals, The Best Cast-Iron Dutch Ovens for One-Pot Meals, 11 Cute Aprons for Women to Entertain in Style, Our Editors Swear By These Tasty Olive Oils, Lucky Food Seoul Spicy Red Napa Cabbage Kimchi, Sinto Gourmet Spicy Red Napa Cabbage Kimchi. Be sure to select a container with visible liquid at the top of the jar; the flavor of very young, dry kimchi can be seriously compromised. One of the more sour options on the market, this pungent recipe is loaded with fish sauce and has just a touch of cilantro. View Product Salsa Verde. Here are eight of our favorites. $7.19 for 16 ounces at Raley’s. Taste-Off: The best — and worst — storebought…, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Santa Clara County issues tough, new COVID-19 rules including quarantines for some, Taste-Off: The best — and worst — storebought kimchi, Taste-Off: The best flavored soy sauces — and the worst, Taste-Off: Best frozen gyozas and potstickers — and the dumpling don’ts, Taste-Off: The best Trader Joe’s skillet meals — and the merely meh, Taste-Off: The best butternut squash pasta sauces — and the ickiest, Taste-Off: The best frozen apple pie (and the worst). $9.19 for 16 ounces at Raley’s. But it’s lacking in garlic, ginger and pepper flavors — and it has an unwelcome sweet note. (2 stars), Kimchi newbies may appreciate this decidedly dumbed-down version made with cabbage, radish, onion and fish sauce. The kimchi you find in the refrigerator section at your local supermarket varies wildly in appearance, texture and taste. But something went awry in the preparation. More: Sweet and Savory Dry Rubs to Spice Up Your Next Barbecue. Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Fermented for days in all the traditional spice, flavor, and richness that Korean peppers, sea veggies, and ginger can offer, yet without any of the fish sauce, MSG or sugar! In Korea, the many different forms of kimchi make it not only a table essential, but an ingredient that can be folded into dumplings, stirred into rice and added to pork-tofu stew. 9 cal, 243 mg sodium.