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Cucumber Kimchee

Recipe by Ming Tsai from Simply Ming

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Ming says: Kimchee is the spicy pickle served with almost every Korean meal. It's usually made with fermented cabbage or turnip, and stored in a tightly sealed jar, it lasts forever. My cucumber version is equally spicy and has the added flavor of fresh ginger. The traditional method involves burying the kimchee to ferment it. You won't have to dig up the kitchen, however, as I use vinegar to do the same job. I call for the traditional Korean chile, kucho karu, to make this, but you can just as effectively substitute regular red pepper flakes (and feel free to adjust the amount). Also, be very careful about putting unprotected fingers into the mixture, as you can too easily rub your eyes with them—not a good thing. Instead, use clean tongs or chopsticks to serve or transfer the kimchee.

This is a great sandwich or burger accompaniment. Use it as you would any pickle. For a Korean tartar sauce, mix 1/2 cup of chopped kimchee with the same amount of mayo. Delicious as a dip for fried seafood. Mix 1 cup of chopped kimchee with the juice of 2 lemons and 1/2 cup grapeseed oil. Toss this terrific vinaigrette with roasted vegetables or your favorite greens.

Ingredients

6 medium halved lengthwise, and seeded cucumbers
Kosher salt
6 cups rice wine vinegar
2 cups sugar
10 thinly sliced garlic cloves
¼ cup fresh ginger matchstick
3 medium red onions halved and cut into slices
1 cup shredded carrot
4 tablespoons korean chilli flakes or 2 tablespoons red pepperflakes
½ cup thai fish sauce nam pla

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Method

Place the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink.
Sprinkle the cut side of the cucumbers generously with the salt.
Allow to rest at room temperature until the cucumbers have exuded liquid, about 2 hours.
Rinse the cucumbers, dry them well, and slice them into 1/4-inch-thick half moons.
Set aside.
In a large, non-reactive saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Add the garlic, ginger, and onions, bring to a simmer, and remove immediately from the heat.
In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine the cucumbers and carrots.
Pour the vinegar mixture over them, add the chile flakes and fish sauce, and toss well.
Correct the seasoning with salt.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature and cover with plastic wrap.
With a paring knife, punch a few holes in the plastic wrap and place the bowl in a cool, dark place.
Let the mixture pickle for 24 hours.
Transfer the kimchee to a tall glass jar or jars and seal tightly.
Use or refrigerate. Lasts 2 weeks, refrigerated.

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Notes & Tips

To make ginger matchsticks, first slice a peeled 1-inch-long piece of ginger horizontally into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Stack these and cut them vertically into 1/8-inch-wide sticks. Kucho Karo is a traditional Korean hot red pepper powder that is hot (very hot), flavorful, and slightly sweet. Three kinds are available: fine- and coarseground, and flake, which is similar to Western hot pepper flakes. I find coarse-ground easiest to work with.