Crisp and Refreshing Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Sobagi)
Making Refreshing Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi | A Perfect Alternative to Fresh Kimchi with Cucumbers
While aged kimchi is delicious, sometimes you crave the fresh taste of newly made kimchi, especially in spring! Take advantage of the season’s abundant, crisp cucumbers and try making this refreshing stuffed cucumber kimchi. It’s a delightful recipe that pairs wonderfully with rice.
Main Ingredients
- 5 cucumbers
- 100g radish
- 50g chives
- 1/2 onion
- 6 cups water (standard measuring cups)
- 4 Tbsp coarse salt (for brining cucumbers)
Seasoning Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 5 Tbsp fish sauce or salted shrimp (saeu-jeot)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- 4 Tbsp sweet rice paste (cooled)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 4 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 5 Tbsp fish sauce or salted shrimp (saeu-jeot)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- 4 Tbsp sweet rice paste (cooled)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Thoroughly scrub the cucumbers with coarse salt using your hands. This helps to remove any fine hairs and ensures the cucumbers are clean.
Step 2
Trim the ends off the clean cucumbers. Cut each cucumber into 4 pieces. Then, make deep cross-shaped cuts (like a plus sign +) into each piece, stopping about 1 cm from the bottom, to create pockets for the filling.
Step 3
Bring 4 cups of water and 6 Tbsp of coarse salt to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, carefully place the cut cucumbers into the boiling brine, cut-side down, and blanch for about 1 minute. Immediately transfer them to cold water to cool, then drain thoroughly in a colander. This step ensures the cucumbers remain crisp.
Step 4
Thinly slice the radish and the onion into fine julienne strips. Wash the chives and cut them into approximately 3 cm lengths. Preparing the vegetables like this makes assembling the filling much easier.
Step 5
In a large bowl, combine the julienned radish, onion, and chopped chives. Add all the seasoning ingredients (red pepper flakes, fish sauce or salted shrimp, minced garlic, minced ginger, sweet rice paste, sugar, and sesame seeds). Gently mix everything together with your hands until well combined and the vegetables are evenly coated with the seasoning.
Step 6
Carefully stuff the prepared kimchi filling into the cross-shaped cuts of the blanched cucumbers. Fill them generously but avoid overstuffing to maintain the cucumber’s shape. You can enjoy these immediately, or store them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days for a deeper flavor development.
