Gim (food)
Encyclopedia
Gim also spelled as kim, is the Korean-word for edible seaweed
in the genus Porphyra
. In Welsh
this food is called laver
. The Korean version is usually salted, unlike the nori
of Japanese cuisine
.
documenting the history of the Three Kingdoms Period
of Korean history covering 57 BCE to 668. The Samgukyoosa contains passages that record gim having been used as far back as the Shilla dynasty. It is conjectured that gim collected on rocks and drift were collected and eaten even before the Shilla period.
From the mid-Joseon
period there are records of gim in 15th century documents Gyeongsangdo Jiriji (hangul:경상도지리지, hanja: 慶尙道地理誌) and Sinjeung Donggukyeojiseungram (hangul:신증동국여지승람, hanja:新增東國輿地勝覽). "Gim" is recorded as a regional delicacy.
There are many legends about the etymology of the word gim. One version explains that an old lady in the region of Hadong
discovered a log covered in gim floating down the Seomjin River
, which inspired her to cultivate gim on upright bamboo
support poles. Another legend says that the word "gim" was named after its creator, Kim Yeo-Ik (김여익), who lived in the island Taeindo during the reign of King Injo, who was the first person to have cultivated gim after seeing a drifting oak branch covered in it. Although the true origins of the term, gim are unclear, there are records dating from the 17th century of Kim Yeo-Ik cultivating gim. There is a monument in Taeindong, Gwangyang
set up in his honor for these achievements.
bay region. Although posts and woven frames made from bamboo are traditionally used in cultivation, nets of synthetic fiber are also used in modern times.
Gim is known to grow well in sea water between 5 °C and 8 °C, so gim collection is usually done between December and January. Gim that has been grown for 50 days is considered best for consumption, as the color and flavor are at their best. Cultivation is done mostly in the regions of South Jeolla
and South Gyeongsang
, with the gim from Wando being the most famous.
Gim is known to be abundant in protein and vitamins, especially vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and B12. It is also known to have a high content of mineral
salt
s, particularly iodine
and iron
, and essential amino acids and properties that dispose of cholesterol, earning its reputation as a "healthy food".
(small side dish), gim is toasted with sesame oil
, sprinkled with fine salt and cut into squares. For use in gimbap
, the sheets are not roasted and used in its original dried state.
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
in the genus Porphyra
Porphyra
Porphyra is a foliose red algal genus of laver, comprising approximately 70 species. It grows in the intertidal zone, typically between the upper intertidal zone and the splash zone in cold waters of temperate oceans. In East Asia, it is used to produce the sea vegetable products nori and gim ,...
. In Welsh
Welsh cuisine
Welsh cuisine is the cuisine of Wales. It has influenced, and been influenced by, other British cuisine. Beef and dairy cattle are raised widely. Sheep farming is extensive in the country and lamb is the meat traditionally associated with Welsh cooking, particularly in dishes such as roast lamb...
this food is called laver
Laver (seaweed)
Laver is an edible algae often considered to be a seaweed that has a high mineral salt content, particularly iodine and iron. It is used for making laverbread, a traditional Welsh dish. Laver is common around the west coast of Britain and east coast of Ireland along the Irish Sea.It is smooth and...
. The Korean version is usually salted, unlike the nori
Nori
is the Japanese name for various edible seaweed species of the red alga Porphyra including most notably P. yezoensis and P. tenera, sometimes called laver. Finished products are made by a shredding and rack-drying process that resembles papermaking...
of Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
.
History
The earliest mention of gim is recorded in the Samgukyoosa (hangul:삼국유사, hanja:三國遺事) a document created during the Chosun eraJoseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
documenting the history of the Three Kingdoms Period
Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
of Korean history covering 57 BCE to 668. The Samgukyoosa contains passages that record gim having been used as far back as the Shilla dynasty. It is conjectured that gim collected on rocks and drift were collected and eaten even before the Shilla period.
From the mid-Joseon
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
period there are records of gim in 15th century documents Gyeongsangdo Jiriji (hangul:경상도지리지, hanja: 慶尙道地理誌) and Sinjeung Donggukyeojiseungram (hangul:신증동국여지승람, hanja:新增東國輿地勝覽). "Gim" is recorded as a regional delicacy.
There are many legends about the etymology of the word gim. One version explains that an old lady in the region of Hadong
Hadong
Hadong County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.-History:The county of Hadong was called 'Dasachon' when it was a part of the Jin state; later becoming a part of 'Nangnoguk', one of 12 statelets of the Byeonhan confederacy...
discovered a log covered in gim floating down the Seomjin River
Seomjin River
The Seomjin River is a river in South Korea. It drains southeastern Jeollabuk-do as well as eastern Jeollanam-do and western Gyeongsangnam-do provinces, and flows into the Korea Strait. The Seomjin rises from Palgongsan and flows for 212.3 kilometers before reaching its final destination in...
, which inspired her to cultivate gim on upright bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
support poles. Another legend says that the word "gim" was named after its creator, Kim Yeo-Ik (김여익), who lived in the island Taeindo during the reign of King Injo, who was the first person to have cultivated gim after seeing a drifting oak branch covered in it. Although the true origins of the term, gim are unclear, there are records dating from the 17th century of Kim Yeo-Ik cultivating gim. There is a monument in Taeindong, Gwangyang
Gwangyang
Gwangyang is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Gwangyang city is the home of POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works, the largest facility of its kind in the world.The city is also home to K-League soccer side Chunnam Dragons....
set up in his honor for these achievements.
Cultivation
As natural collection of gim wasn't enough to meet demand, various new cultivation techniques developed between the 17th century and 19th century, mostly in the GwangyangGwangyang
Gwangyang is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Gwangyang city is the home of POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works, the largest facility of its kind in the world.The city is also home to K-League soccer side Chunnam Dragons....
bay region. Although posts and woven frames made from bamboo are traditionally used in cultivation, nets of synthetic fiber are also used in modern times.
Gim is known to grow well in sea water between 5 °C and 8 °C, so gim collection is usually done between December and January. Gim that has been grown for 50 days is considered best for consumption, as the color and flavor are at their best. Cultivation is done mostly in the regions of South Jeolla
Jeolla
Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...
and South Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
, with the gim from Wando being the most famous.
Varieties and nutrition
There are about ten varieties of gim in Korea. The most common are chamgim (참김, Porphyra tenera) and bangsamuni gim (방사무늬김, Porphyra yezoensis). Others include dungeun gim (둥근김, Porphyra kuniedai), dungeun dolgim (둥근 돌김, Porphyra suboriculata), and momuni gim (모무늬김, Porphyra seriata).Gim is known to be abundant in protein and vitamins, especially vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and B12. It is also known to have a high content of mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
s, particularly iodine
Iodine
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....
and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, and essential amino acids and properties that dispose of cholesterol, earning its reputation as a "healthy food".
Serving
When eaten as a banchanBanchan
Banchan refers to small dishes of food served along with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. This word is used both in the singular and plural....
(small side dish), gim is toasted with sesame oil
Sesame oil
Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. Besides being used as a cooking oil in South India, it is often used as a flavor enhancer in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and to a lesser extent Southeast Asian cuisine.The oil from the nutrient rich seed is popular in alternative...
, sprinkled with fine salt and cut into squares. For use in gimbap
Gimbap
Gimbap or kimbap is a popular Korean dish made from steamed white rice and various other ingredients, rolled in gim and served in bite-size slices...
, the sheets are not roasted and used in its original dried state.