Easy and Delicious Pickled Cucumbers (Oi-ji)
Easy and Delicious Pickled Cucumbers (Oi-ji)
No-Boil Method for Pickled Cucumbers: Achieve a Crispy Texture in Just 3 Days!
Hello everyone! This is Jinok Kim. I’m sharing my go-to recipe for pickled cucumbers (oi-ji), which I make several times a week. This method skips the boiling brine and instead uses salt, vinegar, and sugar for a simple yet flavorful pickle. After about 3 days of curing at room temperature, store them in the refrigerator for another 3-4 days to achieve the perfect texture and taste. During room temperature curing, it’s essential to gently stir the cucumbers twice a day to ensure even pickling. This recipe yields 50 cucumbers and uses 900g of salt, 1500g of sugar, and 900g of vinegar.
Ingredients- 50 fresh cucumbers
- 900g coarse salt
- 900g vinegar
- 1500g white sugar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Gently wash 50 cucumbers under running water. After washing, let them drain thoroughly in a colander. Properly draining the cucumbers is crucial to prevent them from becoming mushy and to ensure a crispy pickle.
Step 2
2. Place the drained cucumbers into a large bowl or container. Try to spread them out as much as possible, avoiding overcrowding, for more even pickling.
Step 3
3. Evenly sprinkle 900g of coarse salt over the cucumbers. The salt plays a vital role in drawing out moisture from the cucumbers.
Step 4
4. After adding the salt, uniformly sprinkle 1500g of white sugar over the cucumbers. Sugar not only enhances the flavor but also helps in preserving the pickles.
Step 5
5. Finally, pour 900g of vinegar evenly over the cucumbers. Vinegar contributes to the characteristic tangy flavor and crispness of oi-ji. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and let it cure at cool room temperature for 3 days. During this period, gently stir the cucumbers from bottom to top twice a day. This ensures the pickling liquid penetrates evenly, resulting in delicious oi-ji.
Step 6
6. This is what the cucumbers look like after about a day of curing at room temperature. You’ll notice a significant amount of liquid has been released from the cucumbers. However, the sugar and salt at the bottom may not be completely dissolved yet.
Step 7
7. After 3 days of consistent stirring and curing, the sugar and salt will fully dissolve, creating a flavorful brine. Transfer the pickled cucumbers to an airtight container, such as a kimchi container. Store in your kimchi refrigerator and allow them to cure for another 4 days. At this point, they are ready to be seasoned and enjoyed as a side dish. Pickled cucumbers made this way can typically be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. To serve, thinly slice the prepared oi-ji, soak them in cold water for 30-40 minutes to remove excess saltiness, then squeeze out all the water. Finally, mix with your preferred seasonings like sesame oil, chili powder, minced garlic, and sesame seeds to create a delightful oi-ji muchim (seasoned pickled cucumber salad) that pairs wonderfully with rice!
