oi kimchi

In this post, I teach you how to make cucumber kimchi (oi-sobagi), which is an essential summer kimchi in Korean cuisine. This authentic kimchi recipe is easy to make at home. The stuffed cucumber kimchi ferments well and retains its crispness all the way through. Step-by-step instructions and video included.

Stuffed Korean Cucumber Kimchi (Oi-Sobagi)

Kirby cucumbers (Or use either 4 English cucumbers

water

tbsp Korean coarse sea salt

chive

onion (finely chopped)

carrot (grated)

Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

tbsp anchovy sauce

garlic (finely minced)

ginger paste

tbsp sugar

Korean plum extract (maeshil cheong) (optional)

sesame seeds

Cut through a cucumber in a cross pattern, but leave one end of the cucumber uncut. Put cucumbers in a large mixing bowl.

Combine water and salt; bring to boil. Pour the boiling salted water over the cucumbers in a mixing bowl. Put a weight on top of the cucumbers so that they stay immersed in the salt brine.  Let them sit for 1 hour, then drain.

To make the kimchi filling, mix together the Asian chives, onion, carrot, Korean chili flakes, Korean anchovy sauce, garlic, ginger puree, sugar, Korean plum extract (optional), sesame seeds, and water in a mixing bowl.

Stuff the cucumber with the kimchi filling, coating the outside of the cucumber with the filling as well. Stack the stuffed cucumber kimchi in an airtight container and cover.

Cucumber kimchi is ready to eat right away if you like the fresh taste. If you prefer them to ferment fast, leave the kimchi at room temperature for one day, then keep them in the refrigerator after that. Within the next 2-3 days, your stuffed cucumber kimchi should be ideally fermented. Try to consume cucumber kimchi within 2 months.

To store and ferment cucumber kimchi

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/MFpT4LkE.mp4

Not all cucumber kimchi are created equal. With this recipe, cucumber will stay crunchy without going mushy even after the fermentation.

Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi

Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi)

cucumbers,

garlic (or 2 tbsp grated garlic)

ginger

Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)

tbsp fish sauce

sugar

Trim the ends off. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out those watery bits. Cut each cucumber in half again lengthwise. Chop them into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Sprinkle the salt over the cucumber pieces. Gently toss them together. (This salting process will draw out the moisture so the cucumbers will become nice and crunchy.)

Let them sit for 10 minutes. Put them in a colander and let them drain for another 20 minutes. Rinse them in cold water. (Grab a piece and taste. If it’s too salty, give them another rinse.) Drain well.

Salt Cucumbers

Cut the green onions into strips, about 2 inches (5 cm) long.

Finely chop (or blend/grate) the garlic cloves. This will go into the kimchi paste, so make sure to chop them really fine. Grate a small knob of ginger, about 1 teaspoon.

Make the kimchi paste: Combine all the kimchi paste ingredients in a small container and mix well.

Prep Other Ingredients

Take out the largest mixing bowl. Add the salted cucumbers, along with the kimchi paste. With gloved hands, toss them together. 

Add the green onions. Gently toss everything together until thoroughly mixed. (Give it a quick taste. If you want it to be saltier, add a little bit more fish sauce.)

Place the cucumber kimchi into an airtight container. Leave it at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours and move it to the fridge. Serve once chilled.

Assemble

Top 2 oi kimchi recipes from across the web

The most viewed oi kimchi recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Stuffed Korean Cucumber Kimchi (Oi-...

Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi)

Top 2 oi kimchi recipes from across the web

The most viewed oi kimchi recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Stuffed Korean Cucumber Kimchi (Oi-...

Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi)

The most viewed oi kimchi recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine