Here in Hawaii, we have a melting pot of cuisines. One dish we all enjoy is the Korean specialty: kimchi. A favorite version of ours is is spicy cucumber kimchi, the perfect accompaniment to rice and Korean barbecued beef. If you want to keep your meal vegetarian, skip the beef and serve the kimchi with rice and grilled teriyaki tofu. And, if you don’t have time to fire up the grill, a bowl of steaming Japanese rice, white or brown will do just fine. This is a quick and tasty side dish.
Japanese cucumbers are best for this recipe as they are extra crisp and have very few seeds.
There are many varieties of kimchi (hundreds by some accounts) but one of the things they all have in common is gochugaru, Korean chili flakes. This is the chili that I cook with most often. Gochugaru has a smoky, sweet flavor, gorgeous deep red color and gentle heat. It’s widely available on line and in local Asian markets.
Julienned carrots add color and flavor to the cucumber kimchi. If you don’t have chives you may substitute them with slender green onions.
The cucumbers for this recipe are cut into baton shaped pieces which I find is the perfect size. This recipe will keep for a good 3-4 days and the cucumbers will retain their crunchy texture.
Serve the kimchi with your favorite grilled meat or tofu and steamed Japanese rice.
- 3 Japanese cucumbers (about 1 pound) cut into batons, about 2-inches long
- 1 scant tablespoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup julienned carrots
- 5 chives, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon finely grated apple, drained
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- dash of fish sauce (optional)
- roasted sesame seeds
- Trim the ends of the cucumbers. Cut into 2-inch long pieces. Cut each piece in half lengthwise, then into 4 even batons (sticks). Place the cucumber pieces in a colander and toss with a scant tablespoon of kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal). Place the colander over a bowl to catch any drips and set a timer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
- Gently pat the cucumbers dry without removing all of the salt. Transfer the cucumbers to a wide bowl along with the carrots and chives, and toss with the sauce. I use disposable gloves to mix the cucumbers with the sauce which helps to coat every piece evenly. Transfer to a clean bowl and chill until ready to serve.