Have a taste of Korean Culture : Kimchi <品嚐韓國文化 -泡菜>

Master in Reading

Unit 1. Have a taste of Korean Culture: Kimchi <品嚐韓國的文化-泡菜>

Recently, traces of Korean culture can be found everywhere. From Korean cuisine and TV dram to contemporary pop music, people in Taiwan are experiencing a rather different East Asian culture.

最近 , 韓國的文化蹤跡(traces)在四處都可以找的到。從韓國的料理(cuisine)到電視劇，甚至到當代的流行音樂，台灣的人正在經歷著相當不同的東亞文化。

While we enjoy the tasty Korean food, however, we do not really know about the origins of kimchi -  a traditional Korean side dish.

然而我們在享受美味的(tasty)的韓國食物時，我們卻對於一種傳統的韓國小菜(side dish)-泡菜起源(origins)不清楚。

The main ingredients of kimchi are vegetables and seasonings. In fact, there are hundreds of varieties of kimchi. Each family uses a different recipe, as kimchi is a dish passed down for generations from mother to daughter.

這個主要的泡菜食材(ingredients)就是蔬菜和調味料(seasonings)。事實上，泡菜有數百種的各式種類。每個家庭都有自己的獨特食譜(recipe)，因為泡菜是一種母女代代相傳的(for generations)一道料理。

It can be made in all seasons, but the best time to make it is in the autumn. The most common kind of kimchi that can be found in Taiwan is made from the Napa cabbage.

泡菜在所有的季節都可製作，但是最佳的製作時間就是在秋季。最常見的泡菜種類，在台灣都可以找的到的就是大白菜。

The process of making kimchi is not complex, but it is time-consuming. In fall, kimchi is made by stuffing spices between layers of salted, uncut Napa cabbages.

製作泡菜的過程並不複雜(complex)，但是很耗時(time-consuming)。在秋季 ，塞進辣的調味料(spices)於一層一層(layers)用鹽醃過的(salted)的整顆大白菜葉子之間(between)來製作出泡菜。

The way traditional kimchi is made depends on the different vegetables in season. Modern way kimchi, however, can be made at any time of the year because now people have refrigerators.

傳統泡菜的製作取決於(depends on)當季的不同蔬菜。現代版的泡菜，然而，可以在一年的任何時間都可以製作出來，因為現在的人們都了冰箱。

We may at first be fooled by the fiery taste of kimchi. But the side dish is actually very healthy because the vegetables used to make it contain a high percentage of fiber, which of course is good for our digestion.

我或許起初會被泡菜的辛辣(fiery)味道給騙了(be fooled)。但是這個小菜實際上是非常健康的因為用來製作泡菜的蔬菜含高比例的膳食纖維(a high percentage of fiber)，可以促進我們的消化(digestion)。

At the same time, kimchi is low in calories and fat. It is even ranked among the top five “World’s Healthiest Foods” because, in addition to aiding digestion, it is rich in vitamins and may reduce the growth of cancer cells.

同時，泡菜熱量(calories)和脂肪(fat)都很低。它甚至排在『世界上最健康食品』的前五名當中。因為，除了(in addition to)促進消化(aid digestion)，它含豐富的維生素(vitamins)，又可能可以減低癌細胞(cancer cells)的生長(growth)。

Although we can buy any variety of kimchi at any time of the year, when it comes to eating it, Korean families tend to have traditional seasonal preferences. To us, kimchi may be a side dish to enjoy with Korean BBQ, but for Koreans it is a dish that brings the family close together, a tradition which will continue for year to come.

雖然我們在一年任何時期都可以買到任何各樣的泡菜，當我們說到要吃泡菜的時候，韓國家庭卻傾向吃傳統的季節風格泡菜。對於我們來說，泡菜或許只是一道小菜來搭配韓國烤肉可以享用的東西，但是對於韓國人來說，它是一道可以將家庭維繫的更近，一個延續未來的一個傳統小吃。

單字

1.    traces蹤跡

2.    tasty美味的 = delicious=yummy

3.    a side dish小吃

4.    cuisine菜餚

5.    seasonings調味料

6.    ingredients食材

7.    recipe食譜

8.    for generations代代相傳的

9.    complex複雜的

10. time-consuming耗時間的

11.  depends on 取決於

12.  A high percentage of fiber 高膳食纖維

13.  aid digestion 幫助消化

14.  low in calories and fat 低熱量和脂肪

15.  reduce the growth of cancer cells減低癌細胞生長

16.  tend to傾向於