Cucumber Kimchi (2)

June 19, 2014

Cucumber Kimchi (2)

I'm trying to mix in lots of summery recipes with my French Eats updates. My previous cucumber kimchi post is a quick version that's ready to eat in minutes. Today's is one meant to sit in the fridge for at least a day before eating. Both versions are yummy but this one's got a bit more of a pickled taste so take your pick(le). Anyway, for me, growing up in a Korean household, cucumber kimchi really made summer feel like summer so I think mid-June is a great time to share this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. mini english cucumbers

3 tablespoons sea salt

½ sweet onion or red onion, sliced
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced

handful of chives or scallions

3 to 5 tablespoons hot pepper flakes (gochugaru; depending on your spice preference)

2 tablespoons fish sauce

+ julienned carrots
+ julienned apple or pear
+ sliced hot peppers
+ sesame seeds

We have a lovely crop of delicious Korean chives growing in our backyard and I might've gone a bit overboard but I don't hear my family complaining!

To start, quarter the cucumber, long ways.

Generously salt the cucumbers and give them a gentle massage to coat. Leave the cucumbers to sit for about thirty minutes to draw out some of the moisture.

After a while, the cucumbers should be kind of limp and flexible and have let off a lot of liquid.

Give the cucumbers a good bath in cold water. Rinse them twice, meaning fill up the tub, give them a swirl, drain, and repeat.

Drain the cucumbers really well and then dump them into a big bowl. Add in the chives (or scallions), onions, hot pepper flakes, sugar, fish sauce, and anything else you're keen on. Sometimes I like grated carrots and hot peppers. This time, I threw in some sesame seeds. Give one a taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. If you need more salt, use a bit more fish sauce.

Pack these cuties into a container with a lid and pop them in the fridge for at least 24 hours to really push that pickled flavor home.

Since this batch is so big, I like to just grab a smaller serving size to serve at the dinner table. Nice and refreshing, crisp, spicy, and perfect on a hot summer's day.