Crispy and Refreshing Cucumber Water Kimchi
Summer Delight! Make Crispy Cucumber Water Kimchi with a Refreshing Broth
Introducing a cool and spicy cucumber water kimchi, perfect for those summer days when your appetite wanes. The crisp texture of the cucumbers combined with the refreshing broth is incredibly appetizing and pairs wonderfully with rice. Let’s make delicious cucumber water kimchi together right now!
Main Ingredients- 5 cucumbers
- 5 stalks of green onions (scallions)
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 Korean green chili peppers (cheongyang chili)
- 1 red chili pepper
Cucumber Brining- 2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
Flour Paste- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp flour
Seasoning & Broth- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.2 Tbsp ginger powder (or 1/2 tsp minced ginger)
- 1 bottle plain yogurt (100ml)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp Yeondoo Cheongyang (optional, spicy soy sauce)
- 1/2 apple
- 1/2 medium onion
- 10 cups water (or 2L)
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp coarse sea salt
Flour Paste- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp flour
Seasoning & Broth- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.2 Tbsp ginger powder (or 1/2 tsp minced ginger)
- 1 bottle plain yogurt (100ml)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp Yeondoo Cheongyang (optional, spicy soy sauce)
- 1/2 apple
- 1/2 medium onion
- 10 cups water (or 2L)
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.2 Tbsp ginger powder (or 1/2 tsp minced ginger)
- 1 bottle plain yogurt (100ml)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp Yeondoo Cheongyang (optional, spicy soy sauce)
- 1/2 apple
- 1/2 medium onion
- 10 cups water (or 2L)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. You can gently rub them with coarse salt for an even cleaner result.
Step 2
Thinly slice the half onion into matchsticks. Cut the green onions into 3-4 cm lengths, similar to the cucumber pieces. Finely chop the green and red chili peppers for color.
Step 3
After washing, cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Then, use a spoon to gently scrape out and remove the seeds from the center. Removing the seeds helps prevent excess water release and maintains a crisp texture.
Step 4
Cut the seeded cucumbers into bite-sized pieces, about 4-5 cm in length. Cutting them slightly thicker will prevent them from becoming mushy during the brining process.
Step 5
In a large bowl, place the cut cucumbers. Dissolve 2 Tbsp of coarse sea salt in 2 cups of water to make a brine. Pour the brine over the cucumbers, ensuring they are submerged, and let them brine for about 30 minutes. Stir them once halfway through to ensure even brining.
Step 6
While the cucumbers are brining, prepare the flour paste. In a pot, combine 1 cup of water and 1 Tbsp of flour, whisking until smooth to avoid lumps. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a paste consistency. Once it boils, simmer for another 1-2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool completely.
Step 7
In a blender, combine the gochugaru, 1/2 apple, and 1/2 onion and blend until smooth. (Tip: You can soak gochugaru in water separately, but blending it with apple and onion adds depth of flavor and coolness.) Strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to get a clear chili liquid. (Note: You can use the strained solids in the seasoning as well.) Mix the plain yogurt into the strained chili liquid.
Step 8
Rinse the brined cucumbers lightly under cold water to remove excess salt, then drain them thoroughly in a colander. Add the sliced onions, green onions, and chili peppers to the drained cucumbers and gently mix them together.
Step 9
Transfer the seasoned cucumbers and vegetables into a large container or kimchi pot. Add the prepared chili liquid, cooled flour paste, 2 Tbsp of fish sauce, 2 Tbsp of minced garlic, 0.2 Tbsp of ginger powder, and 0.5 Tbsp of sugar. Pour in 10 cups of fresh water. (Tip: Adjust the amount of water based on the size of your container.)
Step 10
Finally, add 1 Tbsp of Yeondoo Cheongyang (optional) for an extra kick of spiciness. Stir the broth well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. Make sure the cucumbers are submerged in the liquid.
Step 11
Allow the cucumber water kimchi to ferment at room temperature for about one day, then refrigerate it. It will become even more refreshing and delicious! The combination of crisp cucumbers and spicy, cool broth makes this the perfect side dish to awaken your appetite during summer.
