 Thus, with the ban on meat-containing dishes, vegetable-based dishes rose in prominence and became the focal point of Korean cuisine; court kitchens developed various methods for cooking, preparing and presenting these dishes, while less-affluent commoners produced smaller, simpler arrays of these vegetable-based dishes.Although the Mongol invasions of Korea ended the ban on meat-containing dishes, as well as meat offerings for rituals such as "jesa", approximately six centuries of vegetable-based cuisine in the form of "banchan" had imprinted itself into Korean cuisine.Kimchi is fermented vegetables, usually "baechu" (Napa cabbage), seasoned with chili peppers and salt.