Cucumber Kim Chee
Submitted by osuzyq99
Cucumber kimchi fermented at room temperature for 3 days with garlic, scallions, grated carrot, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. A crunchy, spicy Korean pickle you can make at home.
YIELD
3 cupsPREP
45 minCOOK
20 minREADY
3 daysThis is cucumber kimchi (oi-kimchi), a quick-fermented Korean pickle that’s spicy, garlicky, and bracingly crunchy. Unlike cabbage kimchi which can take weeks, cucumber kimchi ferments at room temperature in just 3 days, giving you a tangy, probiotic-rich side dish with minimal effort.
Salt the cucumber pieces first and let them sit for 15 minutes. This draws out excess water so the cucumbers stay firm and snappy through the fermentation instead of turning limp and soggy. Rinse well after salting to remove the surface salt, or the finished pickle will be too salty.
The seasoning paste is straightforward: grated carrot for sweetness and color, sliced scallions, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and cayenne. No fish sauce or shrimp paste in this version, which makes it a good option for vegetarians. The heat comes from both the red pepper flakes (slow, smoky warmth) and the cayenne (sharp, immediate burn).
Leave the mixture uncovered at room temperature and stir it several times each day. The natural bacteria on the vegetables do the fermenting. You’ll notice the brine getting cloudier and slightly fizzy by day 2. By day 3, it should taste tangy and fermented. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
Pro Tips
- Use unwaxed cucumbers. Waxed supermarket cucumbers have a coating that can interfere with fermentation.
- Seed the cucumbers before cutting. The seeds release water during fermentation and make the brine too thin.
- Taste daily starting at day 2. Fermentation speed depends on room temperature. Warmer kitchens ferment faster.
Variations
- Traditional version: Add a teaspoon of fish sauce or salted shrimp paste for a more authentic Korean flavor.
- Radish addition: Toss in ½ cup of thinly sliced daikon radish for extra crunch and a peppery bite.
Ingredients
Directions
Halve lengthwise, seed and cut cucumber into 1 inch pieces.
In a bowl, toss the cucumber with 1 tablespoon salt and let it stand for 15 minutes.
Rinse the cucumber under running cold water and in a bowl combine it with ½ cup water, grated carrot, 2 scallions sliced thin, 1 minced garlic clove, red pepper flakes and cayenne.
Let the mixture stand, uncovered at room temperature stirring several times, for at least 3 days, transfer it to a jar and chill it.
The pickle keeps several days.
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