Crisp Oiji (Korean Pickled Cucumbers) Without Water
A crisp oiji side dish made without water using only pickling ingredients in just 3 days.
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 →
This easy method skips boiling the pickling liquid entirely, instead simply pouring over soju, vinegar, sugar, and coarse sea salt. As moisture is drawn out of the cucumbers, they take on a crisp and delightfully crunchy texture while leaving the liquid clean. Ferment for 3 days and store in the refrigerator to keep on hand as a summer side dish.
- Servings
- about 10–12 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Cucumber25
Pickling Liquid Ingredients
- Soju1 cup
- Coarse sea salt2 cups
- Vinegar2 cups
- Sugar2 cups
- You can make this with white cucumbers that are relatively slender and short.
- Making oiji with cucumbers harvested before the summer monsoon season prevents them from turning mushy, so pick up cucumbers meant for pickling and prepare a side dish that lasts for months or 1 year.
Steps
You can make oiji with white cucumbers that are relatively slender and short.
Trim off the stem ends.
Wash them gently with a soft sponge or your hands so the skin does not get scratched,
then wipe off all moisture completely with a dry cloth or paper towels.
Arrange a layer of cucumbers side by side along the bottom of a container, and evenly scatter about 1/3 of the pickling liquid ingredients: soju, coarse sea salt, vinegar, and sugar.
Lay another batch of cucumbers on top and sprinkle the pickling ingredients evenly again,
then finish by adding the rest of the cucumbers and pouring over all the remaining ingredients.
Close the lid, and after about 12 hours, the sugar and salt at the bottom will dissolve and they will already begin to turn yellowish.
Rearrange the positions of the cucumbers. A day later, you will still see some green, but they will take on an overall yellowish hue.
From this point, enough liquid will have formed to submerge the cucumbers, so weigh them down with a flat, heavy plate.
After 3 days, they will be completely fermented, with wrinkly flesh and a golden yellow color.
Since their volume has shrunk considerably, transfer them to a smaller container, pour in enough brine to cover the cucumbers,
weigh them down so they remain submerged, and store them in the refrigerator to enjoy.
Ppunwife's tips
- Because generous amounts of salt, sugar, vinegar, and soju are used to keep the cucumbers from spoiling, soak them in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour to draw out the excess saltiness before seasoning and tossing them.
FAQ
What kind of cucumbers are best for making oiji?
It is best to use white cucumbers that are relatively slender and short.
Can finished oiji be seasoned and eaten right away?
Because strong seasonings are used to prevent spoiling, you should soak them in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour to remove the saltiness before seasoning.
Why do you press down on the cucumbers during pickling?
They are weighed down with a heavy plate to help keep the cucumbers fully submerged in the liquid that draws out over time.
