Crisp and Refreshing Summer Delicacy: Cucumber Water Kimchi
Crisp and Refreshing Summer Delicacy: Cucumber Water Kimchi
How to Make Cucumber Water Kimchi: A Summer Water Kimchi Recipe
Introducing a delightful cucumber water kimchi made with fresh cucumbers and crisp baby napa cabbage. This recipe will help you create a healthy and delicious side dish perfect for beating the summer heat.
Main Ingredients- 3 Korean cucumbers (Baekdagi type)
- 1 head of baby napa cabbage
- 5 Tbsp coarse sea salt (for salting cabbage)
- 10 stalks of green onions
- 3 red chili peppers
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- 2L (approx. 8 cups) water
For Salting Cucumbers- 1L (approx. 4 cups) water
- 3 Tbsp salt
For the Rice Flour Slurry- 1 cup (200ml) water
- 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
Ingredients for Blending and Seasoning- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 apple (or Korean pear)
- 4 red chili peppers
- 15 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp ginger syrup (or minced ginger)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 5 Tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for kimchi)
- 1 Tbsp salted shrimp (minced)
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 1L (approx. 4 cups) water
- 3 Tbsp salt
For the Rice Flour Slurry- 1 cup (200ml) water
- 2 Tbsp glutinous rice flour
Ingredients for Blending and Seasoning- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 apple (or Korean pear)
- 4 red chili peppers
- 15 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp ginger syrup (or minced ginger)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 5 Tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for kimchi)
- 1 Tbsp salted shrimp (minced)
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 apple (or Korean pear)
- 4 red chili peppers
- 15 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp ginger syrup (or minced ginger)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 5 Tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for kimchi)
- 1 Tbsp salted shrimp (minced)
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 cup water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, in a pot, combine 1 cup (200ml) of water with 2 Tbsp of glutinous rice flour. Whisk until smooth, then cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens into a rice flour slurry. Once thickened, remove from heat and let it cool.
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice flour slurry with 2L of water. Whisk or stir with a spatula until completely smooth, creating the base for your kimchi broth.
Step 3
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly using a brush under running water. Trim off the very ends of the cucumbers, as these can sometimes impart a bitter taste.
Step 4
Cut the prepared cucumbers in half lengthwise. If the seeds are too abundant, scoop some out. Then, cut each half into four long strips, and further cut these strips into pieces about 4-5cm long. Cutting them slightly thicker will help maintain their crispiness after pickling.
Step 5
In a pot, combine 1L of water with 3 Tbsp of salt and bring it to a boil to create a brine. Once boiling, turn off the heat and let it cool down to lukewarm. Using hot brine helps the cucumbers stay crisp longer.
Step 6
Add the prepared cucumber pieces to the cooled brine and let them pickle for about 10 minutes. Pickling them in warm (not boiling) brine helps them retain their crisp texture. After pickling, drain the cucumbers and set them aside on a colander to remove excess water.
Step 7
Make a small cut at the base of the baby napa cabbage. Carefully remove the tough core and then separate the leaves. This method minimizes waste and allows you to use more of the cabbage.
Step 8
For the separated baby napa cabbage leaves, cut them lengthwise once. Then, using the back of your knife, lightly score along the thick ribs of the leaves in a diagonal direction (almost like slicing). This technique ensures that both the leafy parts and the ribs are evenly distributed in the kimchi. Alternatively, you can simply chop them on a cutting board like making napa cabbage kimchi.
Step 9
Rinse the prepared baby napa cabbage leaves once under water and lightly pat dry. Sprinkle with 5 Tbsp of coarse sea salt and toss to coat evenly. Let them salt for about 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through to ensure even salting.
Step 10
Prepare the ingredients for blending. Roughly chop the 1/2 onion. It doesn’t need to be finely chopped as it will be blended.
Step 11
Core and roughly chop the 1/2 apple. If you have a Korean pear, it can be used instead for a deeper, milder sweetness (apples are a good substitute if pears are expensive).
Step 12
Prepare 15 cloves of garlic.
Step 13
Roughly chop 4 red chili peppers. You can leave the seeds in for more heat, or remove them. If you don’t have fresh red chilies, you can substitute with dried chili flakes or powder for color and flavor.
Step 14
Combine all the ingredients for blending in a blender or use an immersion blender. Add the 1/2 onion, 1/2 apple, 4 red chili peppers, 15 garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp ginger syrup, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp salt, 5 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp salted shrimp, and 1 cup of water. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Add a little more water if needed to achieve your desired consistency.
Step 15
Pour the smoothly blended seasoning mixture into the prepared rice flour slurry and water base. Stir well to combine and create the kimchi broth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or fish sauce if needed. (If the seasoning is already perfect, no additional seasoning is required).
Step 16
Cut the 10 prepared green onion stalks into lengths of about 4-5cm. These will add a nice crunch to the kimchi.
Step 17
Cut the 3 red chili peppers in half, remove the seeds, and julienne them thinly. These are for garnish and will enhance the visual appeal of the kimchi.
Step 18
If you have yellow bell pepper, julienne it thinly for added color. This is optional and won’t significantly affect the taste if omitted.
Step 19
In a large bowl, combine the salted baby napa cabbage, pickled cucumbers, chopped green onions, julienned red chilies, and bell pepper. Gently mix everything together to ensure the ingredients are well distributed.
Step 20
Pour the prepared kimchi broth over the mixed ingredients in the bowl. Stir gently to allow the broth to soak into the ingredients.
Step 21
Transfer the finished cucumber water kimchi to an airtight container or kimchi jar. Let it sit at room temperature for about a day to begin fermentation. Once it starts to develop flavor, refrigerate it for cool storage.
Step 22
Enjoy your crisp cucumber water kimchi, a refreshing and perfect side dish for summer meals!
