Crisp Oi Sobagi (Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi)
A refreshing spring kimchi made by brining cucumbers in boiling salted water to keep them crisp, then stuffing them with seasoned garlic chives.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Firm white cucumbers are brined by pouring boiling salted water over them, keeping their texture wonderfully crunchy. Packed with a flavorful filling of garlic chives, glutinous rice paste, and salted fermented shrimp, this is a special seasonal kimchi that perks up any spring appetite.
- Servings
- about 8–10 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- White cucumber10
- Garlic chives (buchu)1 handful, 200 g (heaping)
- Onion1 (medium)
- Red chili pepper3
- Coarse sea salt1 1/2 cups
- Water15 cups
Glutinous rice paste
- Glutinous rice flour1 1/2 tbsp
- Water1 cup
Seasoning
- Glutinous rice paste
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 cup
- Salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot)3 tbsp
- Fish sauce (or dried anchovies, sand lance)2 tbsp
- Sugar (or green plum syrup (maesil-cheong))2 tbsp
- Minced garlic3 tbsp
- Minced ginger1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds2 tbsp
- Firm-fleshed white cucumbers make the tastiest stuffed cucumber kimchi; if using prickly cucumbers, choose ones that feel firm to the touch.
- Rubbing cucumbers with salt removes impurities and cleans them; use fine salt and rub gently so you do not damage the skin.
Steps
1. Prepare the ingredients and seasonings as listed.
2. Firm-fleshed white cucumbers make the best stuffed cucumber kimchi.
If you use prickly cucumbers, choose ones that feel firm when you touch them.
Rubbing them with salt helps remove surface grime and cleans them.
Rub gently so you do not bruise the skin, and fine salt is best to use.
3. Leaving about 1 cm intact at both ends, cut a lengthwise cross into each cucumber.
4. Just like this. Rather than cutting them into 4 pieces and slitting them, I prefer this method because stuffing the filling is much faster and packs them thoroughly.
5. Bring 15 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups of coarse sea salt to a rolling boil...
6. Pour it directly over the cucumbers in the container.
Brine for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, checking how easily the cucumbers bend midway through to adjust the time.
7. Whisk together the glutinous rice flour and water until lump-free, then place over low heat and stir continuously until thickened to make the paste.
Let it cool.
8. Cut the garlic chives into lengths of around 1 cm.
Shorter lengths are better since longer pieces are awkward to eat.
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8. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then slice thinly.
Cut it to a length similar to the garlic chives.
9. Cut the red chili peppers in half, scrape out the core and seeds with a spoon, and slice thinly.
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11. Add the seasoning ingredients: the cooled glutinous rice paste, 1 cup gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 3 tbsp salted fermented shrimp (saeujeot), 2 tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance), 2 tbsp sugar (or green plum extract), 2 tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp minced ginger, and 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix thoroughly so the chili flakes blend well with everything.
12. Add the filling ingredients—garlic chives, onion, and red chili pepper—and toss gently.
At this point, pinch off a piece of brined cucumber, coat it with the paste, and taste; if it is too bland, add a little salt or fish sauce.
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13. Once the cucumbers bend pliantly, they are fully brined.
Rinse once under running water.
If they are over-brined and taste too salty, rinse them several times in water to draw out the excess salt.
14. Stand them upright for about 30 minutes to drain the water thoroughly.
If too much moisture remains, the seasoning thins out, fails to cling, and releases too much liquid, which ruins the flavor.
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15. Pack plenty of filling into each cucumber, then spread a thin layer of the seasoning over the outside as well.
Ppunwife's tips
- If the cucumbers are over-brined and taste too salty, rinse them several times in water to draw out the excess salt.
- If too much moisture remains, the seasoning thins out, fails to cling, and releases too much liquid, which ruins the flavor.
FAQ
Why make slits in the whole cucumber instead of cutting it into 4 pieces?
Cutting a lengthwise cross while leaving both ends intact makes it much quicker to stuff the filling and keeps it packed inside securely.
How can I tell if the cucumbers are properly brined?
They are properly brined when you bend a cucumber and it flexes smoothly and pliantly without snapping.
Why is it important to drain the brined cucumbers for so long?
If too much water remains on the cucumbers, the seasoning gets watery, slips off the surface, and creates excessive liquid that weakens the flavor.
Can I use prickly cucumbers instead of white cucumbers?
Yes, as long as you pick prickly cucumbers that feel firm to the touch, they will work very well.
