This kimchi cucumber recipe is a twist on the kimchi recipe that I share in my cookery book . Kimchi is the ferment that get me interested in the public of fermentation in the first station . As a little young woman , my grandpa would bring base kimchi that was made by his co - worker ’s wife .
His wife was from Korea and made kimchi traditionally , and male child was it incredible ! I could n’t get enough . I ’d bolt it up as soon as it hit the home , and that ’s where my obsession began .
In my other twenty I get going to make kimchi with my good friend Michelle . She was my only booster that enjoy kimchi growing up . Michelle ’s mother was born in Saipan , so Michelle was familiar with kimchi as well .
She especially be intimate kimchi cucumber . That was the first time I hear of kimchi cukes .
winkle forward a ten to when I was visiting the Big Island of Hawaii with my hubby and girl . We rented a condo right above the illustrious Da Poke Shack in Kailua - Kona . What a treat that was !
We ate there more times than I ’d care to take on in the one week we stayed at that condo .
We ’d watch out the fishermen take in giant freshly caught ahi tuna directly from the ocean early each morning . Once prepared , the doors would open for business . When all the intellectual nourishment sold out , the shop closed until the next dawn .
In increase to tuna , the shop class also sold lau lau and kalua pork , with various sides including wakame seaweed salad , hot potato salad , crab louse salad , and of course , kimchi cucumber . My husband quickly became a sports fan of kimchi cucumbers . Since then , each summer — once pickling cucumbers are abundant — I make him a jar of his very own kimchi cukes .
Yield : 1 quart jar
Ingredients
Kimchi Paste
record more : Check out this formula for ferment Asparagus officinales pickle !
Preparation
Wash Cucumis sativus and softly scrub away any soil . Discard soft or discredited cucumbers . Slice into 1/4 to 1/8 - column inch coins .
Once slice , transfer to a prominent non - responsive bowl such as glass or untarnished steel and splosh the cosher common salt evenly over the cucumber slices . Use a wooden spoon to mingle well .
set aside the cuke to sit in the salt for three to four hours , bring up once at the half room point . After several hours , you should see that the natural brine has release from the cucumbers . Strain the cucumber from the brine , reserving 1/4 loving cup to mingle back into the cuke .
Using a little intellectual nourishment processor , blend the Allium sativum , onion , ginger and fish sauce ( optional ) to a puree . Transfer to another bowl and stir in the gochugaru .
When thoroughly blended , commix together with the salted cuke , equally coating cucumber vine with the Piper nigrum paste . Once mixed well , transmit the kimchi cucumbers to a clean quart - sized canning jar .
If you have a small fermentation jounce weight , add it to the jarful to crusade down the produce ( careful not to hurt or smash the cucumber slice ) . Wipe off the brim of the jar with a clear dampened towel . bring the canning jounce lid , and tightly jazz on the pack .
Fermentation
This kimchi cucumbers recipe is a brusque 24 60 minutes to 3 day ferment . Ferment at room temperature , ideally between 60 to 75 degree F ( 15 to 23 grade C ) , and keep out of direct sunlight .
Check on the ferment day by day to ensure that the brine embrace all the produce . ab initio the cucumbers likely will not be covered by the brine in the jarful . However within 24 hours there should be enough brine to cover all the produce .
preference test the cucumbers at the 24 - time of day point to see if you are proud of with the flavor . If not , allow them to keep sour .
Burp the jar daily . Unscrew the lid briefly and tighten it back on to allow any built - up gun to release .
Once fermentation is consummate , transplant the jarful into the refrigerator , with the brine and all .
Fermentation does not stop once the ferment is transferred to the icebox . However it does retard the process way down . The taste and texture will carry on to change , therefore this fermentation is well enjoyed within six month .
Read more : you may ( and should ) plant more cucumbers in midsummer . Here ’s why .
Side Notes
If you do n’t have a nutrient processor , finely chop up the Allium sativum , onion and ginger for your kimchi cucumbers .
Using impudently harvested cucumber vine is fundamental to keep the crunch . seek to use produce that has been harvest within 48 hours .
If you do n’t have admittance to gochugaru , you could employ an alternate fresh live pepper , fine minced . This will change the flavor , but will still at last be a delicious ferment .
To add extra spice , mix 1/2 tsp . cayenne powder to the paste .
For more kimchi recipes written by Stephanie Thurow , check outCan It & Ferment It ( expanded 2020 edition)andWECK Small - Batch Preserving , published bySkyhorse Publishing , Inc.
