Cucumber Kimchi [오이 소박이]

I don't know how in other countries, but Polish summer has finished.. So as for 'Goodbye Summer' I wanted to make Korean summer dish. I found 'Cucumber Kimchi' by Aeri's Kitchen
Last week I was making kimchi, so at the same time I also wanted to try this new recipe. I've never eaten it before, so actually I wasn't sure, how the taste gonna turn out. But the effect surprised me a lot. Cucumbers were so refreshing and spicy:) Very nice flavour. I gave all of them to my boyfriend, and he seemed to like it very much:) So I think I'll make more soon hehe.

But, kimchi, some people might ask what is kimchi? So, Kimchi is a representative Korean dish. I think Korean people eat it everyday, it can be as a separate side dish or as an ingredient. If You like kimchi, You can sometimes replace traditional dinner's salad with spicy kimchi:)
Usually the main ingredient for kimchi is Chinese cabbage, but like in today's recipe it can be also cucumber or white radish.. There are hundreds types of Kimchi. Maybe even every family has own way to make kimchi:) The other ingredients would be: red hot pepper, green onion, carrot, garlic, fish sauce..

Few photos of kimchi:

Source: kimchimari.com

Source: tradekorea.com

Kimchi Soup - Kimchi Jjigae [김치찌개]Source:

koreansidedish.blogspot.com

My favourite - Kimchi pancake - Kimchi jeon [김치전] Source:

k-popped.com

I made 10 of cucumbers, but below recipe for more:) It's better to do more of them, cause they disappear very quickly:)

Ingredients for Cucumber Kimchi:
- 20 cucumbers, those used for pickling
- 170g salt
- 2,2L water
- 3 green onions

Filling (for 20 cucumbers):
- around 200g red pepper powder
- 6 tbsp fish sauce
- 6 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp minced ginger

1. Wash cucumbers.
2. Cut endings from both sides of cucumbers. Then cut cucumber in middle, upright. Leave 1,5cm. And put all of them into a bowl.

2. Pour 1,1L of water and 90g of salt to a pot, mix. Wait until it boils and then pour hot water on cucumbers.

3. Leave cucumbers for 50minutes.
4. Rinse cucumbers in cold water. And then drain them.
5. Chop green onions into small pieces, around 0,5cm.
6. Mix all of the ingredients for sauce in one bowl.

Use spoon for giner.

I use Korean minced garlic "pasta", but You can use fresh garlic as well.

7. Add chopped green onions, and mix well.
8. Fill cucumbers with the sauce - inside, and then also rub by outside. To fill the cucumbers I used plastic gloves, it's much more comfortable.

9. Put ready cucumbers in a box. Leave them in room temperature overnight, and then You can put to refrigerator. Or You can try eating after finishing, really yummy^^

Bon appetit!:)


And another pleasant song. This time by Thomas Cook - 불면. I totally love it:)


Ok, good night:)