Quick Korean Cucumber Kimchi
This Quick Korean Cucumber Kimchi recipe has been a game changer for us, especially on nights we make Bulgogi!
I have become a huge lover of adding pickled anything to my food these past few years. I’ve switched my options in my pepper garden to have many more banana pepper plants so I can house freshly canned jars to my shelves to last until next summer.
And don’t get me started on cucumber pickles, pickled beets, pickled okra, quick-pickled red onions and escabeche (the pickled veggies you get at a Mexican restaurant).
We’ve been a fan of late of making Korean BBQ bulgogi bowls. I need to post my version of that recipe soon!
I absolutely LOVE a heaping tablespoon of these cucumbers on Korean bulgogi bowls and can’t eat them now with them.
They come together really quickly as well, which is nice. Make sure you use the small Persian cucumbers as they don’t need to be peeled and are really crunchy and perfect for this. They also don’t have a lot seeds or have small enough seeds that you don’t notice them.
You can only use one of the Korean peppers options (Gochujang or Gochugaru). Gochujang (more of a sweet, savory and spicy paste) is pretty readily available in many grocery stores now, while you typically can only get Gochugaru (smoky, fruity, and moderately spicy) in Asian markets or by ordering online. Both lend a delicious funk to these cucumbers. If you don’t like much spice, reduce the amounts of one or both, but the flavor will not be the right profile if you don’t use one!
We usually spoon some rice, some of the Korean barbecued bulgogi meat and veggies from our bowls and a few of these cucumbers on a Nori square and pop it into our mouths.
It’s a flavor explosion!
- 6 small persian cucumbers
- 1 T. kosher salt
- 1 T garlic, chopped fine
- 1 medium onion, slice thinly
- 2 t. gochujang
- 2 t. gochugaru powder
- 2 t. sugar
- ¼ c. rice wine vinegar
- 3 T. sesame oil
- optional:
- ¼ c. sliced radishes - i like to do matchsticks
- ¼ c. julienned carrots
- 1 t. fish sauce
- sesame seeds and chopped green onion for garnish
- Slice cucumbers into ¼ inch rounds, place in bowl, sprinkle with salt, mix well then place in colander over a bowl for 15-20 minutes to pull out some of the water from the cucumbers. Rinse cucumbers, drain bowl, pat cucumbers with paper towel to remove as much moisture as you can. Put back in bowl.
- Add garlic and onions, (and radishes and carrots if using).
- Add in spices, sugar, sesame oil and vinegar (and fish sauce if using) and mix well.
- Allow to set in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions to serve.
- This is amazing on seaweed Nori squares with a bit of rice and bulgogi!
