Oi Sobagi Kimchi (Cucumber Kimchi)

Another kimchi that is perfect to cool down a hot summer day is the crunchy and cooling oi sobagi kimchi (or cucumber kimchi). During the hot months of summer, lots of juicy fruits are harvested, one of them being cucumber that eventually ended up being an ingredient favored by Korean from a long time ago. It is believed that Korean fermented cucumber even before cabbage.

To make oi sobagi kimchi, you need to soak the cucumbers in salt water, but don't leave them in there too long since they could be too soft and lose their crunchiness. Then you can cut each cucumber side way, but not all the way, leaving some room for the mixture. This mixture is pretty much the same as the mixture used in the making of other types of kimchi, which include fish sauce, saeujeot, gochugaru, etc. You should stuff the mixture inside the cucumbers, as well as use it to massage the skin of the cucumbers. If the process is too much for you, know that Korean has another way to make this kimchi. They slice up the cucumbers into smaller pieces and just toss them in the spice mix!

Oi sobagi kimchi tastes best when eaten right away, as it won't taste good after being fermented. With a nice balance of sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic flavors, this kimchi is perfect alongside hot Korean BBQ.