Quick Cucumber Kimchi

Summer is pickle making time, and this cucumber kimchi is one of the easiest. The first time I had it was as a free side at a restaurant while we waited for our starters, and I asked for more.

Salted cucumbers are tossed with garlic, soya sauce, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, a little sugar and gochugaru chilli flakes. It takes about 10 minutes and tastes even better the next day.

Cucumber Kimchi

Quick Details
Serves: 4 as a side
Time: about 30 minutes, including salting
Diet: Vegetarian

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Course Side Dish

Ingredients

  

• 4 cucumbers halved and sliced into semicircles
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar I used khand sugar
• 2 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground
• 1 1/2 tablespoons gochugaru I used Urban Platter
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• Salt the cucumbers. Toss the sliced cucumbers with the salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Drain the excess water.
• Make the dressing. Mix the garlic, soya sauce, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
• Spice. Add the black pepper and gochugaru and mix.
• Toss. Add the drained cucumbers and mix with tongs. Add the sesame seeds.
• Chill. Chill in the fridge before serving.

Video

Keyword Cucumber Kimchi, Korean Cucumber Salad, Quick Pickle

Tips for the Best Cucumber Kimchi

• Trim the ends of the cucumbers and taste a slice to check for bitterness.
• Salt the cucumbers for 20 minutes and drain well so the kimchi stays crunchy.
• Stir until the sugar fully dissolves before adding the cucumber.
• Chill before serving. It gets more sour and pickled overnight.

Storage

Keep in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gochugaru?
Korean red chilli flakes. They are mildly smoky and not too hot.

Can I use regular chilli flakes?
Yes, but use less, since they are usually hotter.

Make a jar this week and tell me how it turned out. Watch the recipe video on YouTube and follow @askdeepa_ on Instagram for more.