Korean cucumber kimchi is a spicy and refreshing side dish. It takes less time and effort than traditional cabbage kimchi, which can take days or even weeks before it is ready to eat. Cucumber kimchi is a great addition to any Korean dinner table and can be enjoyed with a bowl or rice, stew, and several other side dishes. You can even enjoy it by itself as a refreshing cucumber pickled salad if desired. All you need is 30 minutes and just a few simple ingredients!
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish that is found at every Korean meal. When someone says “kimchi” they are usually referring to napa cabbage kimchi which is seasoned with red pepper flakes, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic and fermented for Korean red pepper flakes (“Gochu-garu”) give the dish an overall spicy flavor which is balanced with a little bit of sugar for sweetness and fish sauce or shrimp paste for umami. Kimchi is a natural probiotic and has many health benefits as well when eaten raw. Once kimchi has passed its prime, it can be cooked and will take on a whole new flavor profile. You can stir fry it with rice to make kimchi fried rice or add to soups and stews.
What kind of cucumber is used for Cucumber Kimchi?
Any kind of cucumber can be used to make cucumber kimchi. In general, you don’t want a cucumber that has too much seeds as it will make the dish watery. I like to use the long English cucumbers from Costco as they have a good amount of flesh to seed ratio. You can also use Persian, kirby, or whatever is available to you.
How long is the fermentation process for Kimchi?
Traditional kimchi requires days or weeks to adequately ferment. This cucumber kimchi recipe is more like a quick pickled salad as it only needs about 20-30 minutes for the salt to draw out the water in the cucumber. You can choose to let the cucumber kimchi ferment for a few hours or even overnight and it will taste even better as the flavors will have more time to develop. Cucumber kimchi can be enjoyed right away or stored in the refrigerator to be enjoyed up to one week. Be sure to drain out any juices or liquids before storing to prevent the cucumber kimchi from getting soggy.
What do you eat with Cucumber Kimchi?
Cucumber kimchi is one of many side dishes (also known as “banchan”) that you will find at any traditional Korean dinner table. Each person is served a bowl of rice and usually a bowl of soup or stew. There are usually a variety of side dishes to enjoy with your rice and soup. It’s not uncommon to find more than one type of kimchi side dish at the table.
If you want to keep it simple, you can enjoy your cucumber kimchi with a bowl of rice and some roasted nori. This is a great option if you are eating alone or are looking for a quick and easy mid-week lunch or meal.
Cucumber Kimchi
Ingredients
- 2 English seedless cucumbers Any cucumber is fine
- 1/2 medium onion thinly sliced then sliced again in half
- 1/4 cup carrots thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp Korean red pepper flakes ("Gochu-garu") Use 1.5 tbsp if you prefer less spicy
- 1.5 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds to garnish
Instructions
- Add cucumbers, onion, carrots, and garlic into a large bowl. Add salt and mix to ensure the vegetables are well coated with salt. Set aside and let sit for about 20 minutes.
- Drain out the excess liquid that has formed at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add Korean red pepper flakes ("gochu-garu"), sugar, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well then season with sesame seeds.
- Serve alongside several other side dishes ("banchan") and rice.