Korean Cucumber Kimchi Recipe (Oi-sobagi)
Korean Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Sobagi) is a refreshing Korean side dish featuring crisp cucumbers stuffed with a spicy, savory filling and lightly fermented for bold flavor and crunch.
Ingredients
For the cucumbers
- 8 Kirby cucumbers, or 4 English cucumbers
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup Korean coarse sea salt
For the stuffing
- 1 cup garlic chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ onion, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup Korean chili flakes, gochugaru
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Korean salted shrimp, saeujeot
- 1 tablespoon Korean plum extract, maeshil cheong, or sugar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- To prepare the cucumbers, cut off both ends of the cucumbers. Slice them lengthwise in a cross pattern without cutting all the way through and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- In a pot over high heat, combine the water and Korean coarse sea salt. Stir until dissolved and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and carefully pour the hot brine over the cucumbers. Let them brine for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the cucumbers with water and drain well.
- To make the stuffing, in a mixing bowl, combine the garlic chives, onion, carrot, garlic, gochugaru, fish sauce, salted shrimp, plum extract, sugar, sesame seeds, and water. Mix well.
- To stuff the cucumbers, gently open each cucumber and fill the cuts with the stuffing. Coat the outside of the cucumbers with the stuffing as well. Transfer to an airtight container.
- To ferment the cucumbers, you can enjoy them immediately, or leave them at room temperature for about 1 day to develop a tangier flavor.
- Transfer to the refrigerator and continue fermenting to your taste. For the best balance of flavor and crunch, enjoy within 1 to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
- Don't cut all the way through: Leaving the base intact helps hold the filling inside the cucumbers.
- Use fresh cucumbers: Firm cucumbers produce the best crunch.
- Don't skip the hot brine: It helps the cucumbers stay crisp while drawing out excess moisture.
- Drain well: Excess water can dilute the seasoning mixture.
- Adjust the fermentation: Enjoy it fresh for maximum crunch or ferment longer for a tangier flavor.
- Salted shrimp adds umami: If unavailable, you can omit it, though the flavor will be slightly less complex.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 1 to 2 weeks for the best texture and flavor.