Oi Sobagi (Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi)
This stuffed cucumber kimchi, called oi sobagi, is an easy kimchi to make! Being a summer favorite in Korea. It’s crisp, crunchy and deliciously refreshing!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 5 Korean cucumbers (or 10 Kirby/pickling cucumbers (about 5-inch long))
- ½ cup coarse sea salt (less if using finer salt)
- 6 cups water
- 3 ounces buchu (부추), Korean garlic chives
- 3 ounces mu (무), Korean radish (or 1/4 medium onion)
- 5 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes)
- 2 tablespoons saeujeot (새우젓), salted shrimp (roughly chopped)
- 1 tablespoon myeolchiaekjeot (멸치액젓), fish sauce,
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons sugar - optional (or use any of your favorite sugar substitute)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse cucumbers. Cut off both ends. If using long Korean cucumbers, cut in half (or thirds if long) crosswise.
- 2
Add 6 cups of water with 1/2 cup of salt in a medium size pot. Bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off. Pour the boiling water over the cucumbers in a bowl. Keep the cucumbers submerged by weighing them down with a bowl or plate. Let it sit until the cucumbers are bendable, about an hour or two, depending on your cucumbers and salt.
- 3
Meanwhile, cut the chives into 1/2 inch lengths. Julienne the radish (or onion), and then cut into the same lengths.
- 4
Combine all the stuffing ingredients along with 1/4 cup of water, and mix well. It should taste slightly salty.
- 5
Drain the cucumbers. Holding the top end of the cucumber on the cutting board, run a small knife through the middle lengthwise. Leave 1/2 inch uncut at both ends. Turn the cucumber and make another cut through the middle lengthwise to make a cross cut, again leaving 1/2 inch uncut at both ends. Repeat with all the cucumbers.
- 6
Gently open each slit and insert about a teaspoonful or two of the stuffing. Be sure to fill all 4 slits of each cucumber. Repeat until all the cucumbers are stuffed. Place them in a jar or an airtight container. Leave it out at room temperature for a day. Then, store in the fridge.