serves
6
prep
20 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
6
people
preparation
20
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) dill or Kirby (short) cucumbers
- 2 tbsp coarse cooking salt
- 2 bunches garlic chive kimchi (recipe )
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
Makes about 1 kg
Sitting time: 2 hours
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers and shake off any excess water. Top and tail the cucumbers, then cut in half crossways. Stand the cucumbers upright, cut side down, and slice lengthways into quarters, stopping about 1 cm (½ in) short of the base so the quarters are still attached at the base. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add 1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) water to a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the salt and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour the hot salted water over the cucumbers. Put a small plate over the cucumbers to keep them fully submerged and leave to steep for 2 hours. Drain, and rinse the cucumbers in cold water twice.
- Cut the garlic chive kimchi (wear food preparation gloves if necessary) into 2 cm (1 in) lengths, then add to the cucumbers with the onion. Using your hands, massage the mixture until the cucumbers are thoroughly coated.
- Stuff each cucumber half with about 1 tablespoon of the garlic chive kimchi. Press the cucumber quarters together to secure the kimchi inside, then transfer to an airtight container.
- Eat the stuffed cucumber kimchi straight away, or store in the refrigerator for 3–5 days. The longer you leave it, the more the flavours will develop.
Recipe and images from Little Korea Iconic Dishes and Cult Recipes by Billy Law, Smith Street Books, RRP $49.99
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
