Spiral Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Muchim)
Quick cucumber kimchi made with Costco baby cucumbers, spiral-cut using a simple chopstick technique for maximum texture and flavor. No fermentation — ready in 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes (includes 20 min salt rest)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
- Method: Quick pickle
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
6 baby cucumbers
1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced then halved
1/3 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) (Use 1 tbsp for milder heat; omit for no spice)
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp fish sauce
1 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
Instructions
Spiral-cut the cucumbers:
1. Lay a baby cucumber between two chopsticks, one on each side.
Make diagonal cuts at 45° along the length, 1/4 inch apart, stopping at chopsticks.
Flip and make straight cuts perpendicular to cucumber, same spacing.
Cucumber fans open into a ridged spiral. Repeat with all cucumbers.
Salt the vegetables:
2. Add spiral cucumbers to a large bowl.
Sprinkle with salt and toss well. Set aside 20 minutes.
Drain:
3. Pour off accumulated liquid. Do not rinse.
Season:
4. Add onions, carrots, garlic, and green onions as well as the seasonings (gochugaru, sugar, rice wine vinegar, and fish sauce). Toss until evenly coated.
Finish with sesame oil and toss once more.
Serve:
5. Adjust salt/sugar if needed. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Serve immediately alongside rice and other banchan.
Notes
For kids or spice-sensitive eaters: reduce gochugaru to 1/2 tbsp or omit entirely.
Not spicy version: try my Quick Asian Pickled Cucumbers
Storage: best eaten same day. Keeps 1–2 days refrigerated. Drain liquid before serving.
Vegetarian/vegan: swap fish sauce for soy sauce (use 1.5 tsp, it’s saltier).
Find it online: https://olivia-yi.com/spiral-cucumber-kimchi-oi-muchim/