Cucumber Kimchi

Yesssh, I finally made this *skips in glee*

The steps might seem a little lengthy but its actually very easy to make. Am quite happy that this recipe taste almost the same as those bought at the stores.

Special thanks to aeriskitchen for sharing on youtube this recipe though I twigged it a little by adding the Chinese pear and carrot.

Ingredients

10 Japanese cucumber
½ cup coarse salt
5 cups water
2 cups garlic chives, cut about 2 inches
½ cup spring onion, cut about 2 inches
½ cup carrot, finely cut about 2 inches
½ Chinese pear, skin removed and julienned (add 1 tsp sugar to keep it from browning)

Sauce ingredients
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
½ cup Korean chilli powder (gochugaru) or to taste
3 tbsp Korean fish sauce
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp caster sugar

Method:

1. In a large pot bring to boil the water and coarse sea salt.


2. In meantime, was cucumber and cut both ends and divide into 4 equal pieces (depending how long or short you want them to be) and then with each mini cucumber cut a ‘cross’ or ‘T’ starting from the top of the cucumber until about 2cm from the bottom, making sure that you do not slice all the way through. Each mini cucumber is suppose to be like a mini bite size kimchi cup.

3. Place prepared cucumber into large bowl or pot.

4. By now the water would be boiling, turn off heat and pour hot water into your bowl or pot of cucumber. Set aside for at least 50 min.

5. In meantime, prepare the other vegetables and the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix to combine well.

6. After 50 min, rinse cucumber in fresh water and squeeze out excess water and dry them with paper towels.

7. Wearing a pair of disposable gloves, stuff some of the vegetable mix into the cucumber, rubbing the outside of the cucumber with the mix too.


8. In a container, leave the stuffed cucumber at room temperature overnight to enhance the flavour before refrigerating.

9. Best eaten well chilled. Consume within a week.