UPDATED: I updated this recipe to explain the unique ingredients little bit better.

Here is one of my favorite kimchi, especially for warm spring/summer season! We learned how to make this with my mom during our latest Banchan Workshop and it was everyone’s favorite. It’s fun and easy to make and such a refreshing dish to add to your dinner table. Anyone up for some kimchi-making this weekend?

OISOBAGI 오이소박이 (Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi)  – will makes 16 pieces

INGREDIENTS
1 pk of Persian cucumbers (usually contains 8)
1/2 med size Korean radish or daikon
4 sm bunches of loose chives
1 Mexican green onion

SEASONING
sea salt
2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili pepper powder)
1 tbsp gonjangyijeot (salted baby shrimp)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp fish sauce

INSTRUCTIONS
Cut two ends of each cucumber and cut them into two small trunks (2-3″ long) using smaller knife, cut criss-cross down leaving 1/8″ closing on the bottom (use wider side as bottom). Sprinkle with sea salt to coat evenly. Use your fingers to cover the inside cut area. Sit in room temperature for 45 min to 1 hr.

Make stuffing by finely chopping radish, chives and green onion. No longer than 1″ width for easier stuffing and fermentation (it will stay intact and neat looking!). Season stuffing ingredients with gochugaru, gonjangyijeot, sugar, minced garlic, ginger. Add fish sauce (for extra umami flavor!). If you can’t find salted baby shrimp, use more fish sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more gochugaru, sugar, garlic and fish sauce.

Squeeze out all the liquid from the salt-brined cucumbers (this will make it extra crunchy!). Insert stuffing in the cucumbers and stack it in glass jar or a fermentation jar. Rectangular jars will work best for cucumber kimchi to ferment well and stay intact.

FERMENTATION
Cucumber fermentation will usually take about 3-5 days depending on temperature. Place it in shaded area in your kitchen or shaded area in your backyard. Taste the kimchi after 3 days to see if you want to keep it outside longer or keep them in the fridge.