If you haven’t read enough of the word kimchi this week, well, here’s another one, cucumber kimchi/oi gimchi. This cucumber kimchi is popular during summer time. The refreshing coolness of cucumber paired with some heatness from the chili is a great combination. I like when I bit into the cucumber, it is still very crunchy regardless of the fermentation process it went through. Give it a try I would say. It really is pretty easy to make and something new and different every now and then is a good thing.
Recipe from Quick and Easy Korean Cooking by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee.
For baking/ kueh making: I highly encourage to weigh ingredients with a digital kitchen scale instead of using measuring cups as they are not very accurate especially when it comes to recipe that requires precision.
GRAMS TO CUPS CONVERSION (UNSIFTED)INGREDIENTS
- 10 pickling cucumber - about 1 lb
- 1/3 cup table salt
- 4 1/3 cup water
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/2 onion - diced
- 1/2 bunch Korean leeks - buchu, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
- 5 green onions - cut into 1/2-inch lengths
- 1/4 cup Korean chili powder
- 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 tsp sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters and place in a large bowl. Dissolved the table salt in 4 cups of the water and pour over the cucumbers. Soak the cucumbers for about 20 minutes
- Combine the garlic, onion, Korean leeks, green onions, chili powder, and sea salt in another large bowl
- Remove the cucumbers from the salt water and rinse. Add the cucumbers to the spicy mixture and mix until the cucumbers are all well coated. Stuff the cucumbers into a 1/2-gallon glass jar, pressing firmly until filled
- Dissolved the sugar in the remaining 1/3 cup water and pour over the cucumbers. Cover tightly. Let sit in a cool, dark place for 2 to 3 days before opening to see if it's ripe. The cucumbers should be sour and have absorbed the sat and flavors of the seasonings. Refrigerate after opening. It will keep for almost 2 weeks in the refrigerator
