Door sticks on walking in, floor sticky, water in plastic carafe (very bad for micro-plastic contamination), plates always cold.
Why therefore visit?
Kimchi pancake, kimchijeon, is excellent. Generous portion size.
Kimchi is the Korean version of sauerkraut, the difference, slightly spicy.
Kimchi is fermented, when buying always look for live kimchi.
Eat at least three ferments a day: Greek yogurt, kefir, kombucha, miso, kimchi, sauerkraut . Also cheese, sourdough bread, bean-to-bar craft dark chocolate, specialty coffee.
The Stanford study showed five fermented foods a day, positive impact on immune system and gut microbiome.
I’d never tried kimchi, let alone kimchi pancake, until it was recommended I tried kimchi pancake at Little Korea last week.
Though what I also found, a lack of consistency. The second time I tried, not so good.
I bought Korean kimchi from an Asian store in Nottingham and a jar of live kimchi from Bailgate Deli. I tried and did not like. The reason I bought the jar, somewhere to store the Korean kimchi when I opened.
On my first visit to Little Korea, I came away with a little pot of fresh made kimchi. I used to make Kimchi Bloody Mary. It was excellent.
The reason for my kimchi purchase, was to try making a kimchi pancake.
ingredients
kimchi
flour
spring onion
cold water (maybe)
cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
method
A little flour in the bottom of a small mixing bowl. Add kimchi. Add flour. Add chopped white stem of the spring onion. Mix. Add cold water or flour to achieve the right consistency.
In a hot pan. Add the olive oil. Add the pancake mix. Flip a couple of times. Around the cooking pancakes add the green leaves if the spring onion.
Serve
thoughts
Very taste. Not bad for first attempt, and have never made pancakes.
The flour used white bread flour. What was to hand.
… olive oil from Jordan, that I picked up from Sharon’s Shed in Gainsborough last week. Very expensive, a few pence short of twenty pounds.
For three weeks, starting 1 October , dates then tally with the day of trial, add each day three different fermented foods or drinks: Greek yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha.
Log each day
energy level
mood
hunger
Feel free to continue beyond three weeks if you experience health benefits. Feel free to record any improvements in health. Or of course if no benefits or health deteriorates.
Encourage friends and colleagues to participate.
Start date First of October not set it stone. Only chosen for the date of the month to tally with the day of the trial.
Fermentation as a means to preserve food existed long before canning, refrigeration and freezing. For example, sourdough bread, wine, beer, cheese, yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha.
Fermentation is alchemy. One food is converted to another, as if by magic. Not only does it keep longer, it tastes different.
Further reading
Ferment – Tim Spector
Ferment – Kenji Morimoto
Blue Zones have demonstrated the importance of diet. No ultra-processed food.
Five a Day is dated. Though for many, five a day would be an improvement. Eat 30 plants a week. Not as difficult as it sounds. 30 plants a week: fruit, vegetables, grain, pulses and legumes, herbs, spices, fungi.
Plant-based, not exclusive vegetarian or vegan.
Further reading
How to Eat 30 Plants a Week – Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal
The Food for Life Cookbook – Tim Spector
Eat Yourself Healthy – Jamie Oliver
Blue Zones have demonstrated the importance of exercise. Not a gym, walking and gardening.
Download and install a step counter. Aim for at least 5,000 steps a day. Occasional bursts of faster walking. For example hurrying to catch a bus.
The Blue Zones – Dan Buettbner
The Blue Zones (illustrated edition) – Dan Buettbner
The Blue Zones Kitchen – Dan Buettbner
Only a handful of countries have issued dietary guidelines on eating fermented foods. Not the UK , still on the dated Five a Day, a political class in hock to Big Pharma and Big Food.
We can improve our health by improving our diet.
eat 30 plants a week
eat the rainbow
add fermented foods to our diet
avoid ultra-processed food
To his credit Jamie Oliver with his latest Channel 4 series Eat Yourself Healthy (September 2025), the focus is on nutrition and how we can improve what we eat.
Keithpp's Blog 