Kimchi can be made with so more than just cabbage! There are almost 200 varieties of kimchi in Korea, using different vegetables and ingredients.
This style, known as oi sobagi (오이소박이) in Korean (literally “stuffed cucumber”) uses cucumbers. It has a clean, refreshing taste (no fish products are used, making it vegan), and ferments rather quickly– in as few as 2 days! In many cases, it is actually eaten fresh (rather than being fermented at all!0
You can make oi sobagi with any style of cucumber, but in Korea, it is made with a special variety (called a Korean cucumber). To me it’s more like a pickling cucumber, but much looooonnger!
It is also perishable (only lasting a week or so), so it is recommended to only make as much as you plan to consume in that time.
Cucumber Kimchi
Ingredients
- 1 1/2-2 lb (800 g) cucumbers
- 3 tsp (15 g) coarse sea salt (fine will work too)
- 2 inches (5 cm) ginger root 13 g
- 5 cloves garlic 21 g
- 4 scallions
- 2 tbsp (30 g) medium- or coarse red pepper powder (gochugaru)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce, tamari, or other amino sauce
- 1/2 lb (200 g) Korean or daikon radish, optional
Instructions
- If you’re using a long cucumber variety that’s 8 inches (20 cm) or longer, slice the cucumbers down the middle, leaving 1 inch (2 cm) on each end intact. Rotate the cucumber 90 degrees and make the same cut, again leaving each end intact. You’re creating a quartered “pocket” in the cucumber that will be stuffed with paste.
- If using a shorter cucumber variety (less than 6 inches / 15 cm), slice them in half lengthwise.
- Add cukes to a bowl or pan with high sides. Sprinkle with salt.
- Let the cucumbers sit for 2 hours to “sweat” and soften.
Make Paste
- Chop the scallions into 1/4" slices. Add to food processor. If not using food processor, slice into thinner (1/16") strips and add to bowl.
- Peel and roughly chop the ginger and garlic. Add them to the food processor.
- Add pepper powder and soy sauce to food processor.
- Run the food processor until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and a thick paste forms. It will be finished when it forms a donut shape in the bowl of the food processor and has the consistency of tomato paste.
- Run the food processor until all of the ingredients are well incorporated and a thick paste forms. It will be finished when it forms a donut shape in the bowl of the food processor and has the consistency of tomato paste.
- If using radish, julienne into matchstick size pieces and mix into the finished paste.
Ferment
- Capture or leave any excess liquid that formed from the cucumbers "sweating". Slather a layer of paste on top of a cucumber half or stuff the pocket. Place into a baking dish. Repeat with the other pieces. You can stack multiple layers. Pack them together closely to minimize air pockets. Spread any excess paste over the top layer, and top with excess liquid.
- Cover with tight-fitting lid to keep insects and fresh air out. It's a short ferment, so there is little chance of excess pressure building up.
- After 1 or 2 days, move to the refrigerator. You can transfer them to a jar at this point. They will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
