Pikliz and kimchi are flavorful condiments

These condiments lend themselves to different dishes where they enhance the flavor of the food.

Although originating from different regions of the world thousands of miles apart, they are similar in many ways.

One thing both of these condiments have in common is that they are made from pickled cabbages.

Kimchi is a Korean condiment while Pikliz is a condiment from Haiti. They are staples in their respective cuisines and can also be found worldwide.

In this post, we’ll learn more about these two condiments and highlight more differences between them.

What is pikliz? 

Pikliz is a Haitian condiment that is served alongside other Haitian dishes such as fried meats and plantain. 

It could also be used in sandwiches. It can also be used with fries. Pikliz can be used as a table condiment or as a marinade for meats.

It is made from a variety of vegetables which are pickled in vinegar.

The vegetables in this condiment include cabbage, carrots and bell peppers. Scotch bonnet peppers, peppercorns, garlic and onions are also added to this condiment.

Pikliz is packed with tangy and spicy flavors and has a really nice crunchy texture.

This condiment is particularly spicy as a result of the scotch bonnet peppers and has some sweetness from the white wine vinegar.

What is kimchi? 

Kimchi is a traditional Korean condiment and a staple in Korean cuisine. It is also popular worldwide.

It is made from salted and fermented vegetables.

Kimchi has so many varieties, with regional and seasonal variations especially when it comes to the choice of vegetables. 

Cabbages are popularly used to make this condiments.

Other vegetables used in kimchi include celery, radish, cilantro, parsley, onions, spinach, seaweed, eggplant, bamboo shoots roots and beets just to mention a few. It may also include tomatoes and anchovies.  

The vegetables are typically brined and fermented.

Kimchi also contains a wide variety of seasonings such as chili powder, garlic and ginger.

The flavors and texture of this condiment depend largely on the choice of ingredients used to make it, and the recipes for kimchi may vary from one cook to another.

It has a complex flavor. It can be sour, spicy, or have an umami flavor from the anchovies. 

The duration of fermentation also affects the intensity of the flavor.

Kimchi is cheap, it is readily available in grocery stores and has good keeping qualities. It was originally made as a means to preserve vegetables during the winter. 

It is versatile and can be served together with so many popular Korean dishes where it can help add some flavor to the food. 

Kimchi could be used in soups or stews. It could be used as a sauce over rice or noodles. It could also be stir-fried alongside different ingredients.

Kimchi consists of more vegetables

Kimchi consists of a base of a wide variety of vegetables including additional ingredients like seafood.

There is more variety when it comes to kimchi than in pikliz ranging from different flavors and textures.

The vegetables in kimchi are salted

The vegetables used in kimchi are typically brined to help draw out moisture from the vegetables thus preserving the condiment, this can lead to a very salty flavor in kimchi.

Pikliz can also contain salt, although this is mainly for taste. 

Pikliz is a lot more spicy

In addition to cabbages and other vegetables, pikliz contains scotch bonnet peppers.

Scotch Bonnets are incredibly hot peppers with a heat range between 100,000 and 350,000 Scoville heat units. These peppers give pikliz their intense heat. 

Kimchi may also feature peppers, but spiciness is not necessarily a quality of kimchi, and most varieties of kimchi can have milder flavors.