This kimchi is great in the summertime, when cucumbers are in season, but you can make it at any time of the year. It’s usually made with Korean cucumbers, which can be hard to find (check your farmers’ market), but Kirby and English cucumbers work very well. If you use Korean or English cucumbers, cut them into 4-inch lengths; Kirby cucumbers don’t
need to be cut at all. Oi-sobagi is very easy to make. Just mix some Korean seasonings together and stuff your cucumbers. I like this kimchi fresh and crisp, so I always eat some right away, with rice. Others like it to ferment a bit before digging in. It’s up to you. Some people cut off the ends of the cucumbers before serving them, releasing them into manageable strips. But I like to give everyone their own cucumber, with the ends intact. Be warned: Eating cucumber kimchi this way is not pretty. But among close friends and family, that’s not a problem, right?
Makes about 4 pounds
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 pounds Kirby cucumbers (about 12), about 4 inches long, washed
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
- 4 ounces Asian chives, or 10 to 12 scallions, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup Korean hot pepper flakes (gochu-garu)
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- ⅓ cup water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cut each cucumber lengthwise into quarters, stopping about ½ inch before the end so that the quarters are still connected. Sprinkle the salt all over the insides of the cucumbers and gently rub it in. Put the salted
cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle evenly with any remaining salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. - Rinse the cucumbers under cold running water to remove excess salt. Drain.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
- Stuff the kimchi paste into the quartered cucumbers (wear rubber gloves, if you’d like); apply some kimchi paste to the outside of the cucumber as well. Serve immediately, or put the cucumbers in glass jars or other airtight containers, cover, and refrigerate. Or, to ferment the kimchi, leave it on the countertop until slightly sour, 1 to 2 days, before refrigerating. The kimchi will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 month.
