Crisp Oiji (Korean Pickled Cucumbers) for Side Dishes
A crisp summer side dish of cucumbers pickled without water using soju, vinegar, and seasonings.
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 pickling method layers cucumbers with soju, coarse sea salt, vinegar, and sugar without boiling any brine. Once pickled and pressed down with a heavy plate, the cucumbers turn pleasantly wrinkled and crunchy without any worry of white mold. Thinly sliced, squeezed dry, and tossed with basic seasonings, they make a wonderful everyday side dish.
- Servings
- about 10–12 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Oiji Ingredients
- White cucumber25
Pickling Liquid Ingredients
- Soju1 cup
- Coarse sea salt2 cups
- Vinegar2 cups
- Sugar2 cups
Seasoned Oiji
- Pickled cucumber (oiji)4
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Minced green onion2 tbsp
- Alcohol
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- For pickling cucumbers, choose white cucumbers that are not too large, relatively slender, and small.
- Trim off the stem ends, wash gently by rubbing with your hands or a soft scrubber so you do not bruise them, then wipe off all moisture completely with a dry dish towel or paper towels.
Steps
For pickling cucumbers, choose white cucumbers that are not too large, relatively slender, and small.
Trim off the stem ends, wash gently by rubbing with your hands or a soft scrubber so you do not bruise them,
then wipe off all moisture completely with a dry dish towel or paper towels.
Place a layer of cucumbers at the bottom of a kimchi container and evenly sprinkle over about 1/3 of the pickling ingredients: soju, coarse sea salt, vinegar, and sugar. Lay down another layer of cucumbers and sprinkle evenly with pickling ingredients, then add the last cucumbers and sprinkle all the remaining ingredients over top.
Close the lid, and after about 12 hours, the sugar and salt at the bottom will dissolve and the cucumbers will already start turning yellowish.
Rearrange the cucumbers, and after a day passes,
they will still show some green, but overall take on a yellowish tone.
From this point, enough liquid has formed to submerge the cucumbers, so you need to press them down with a flat, heavy plate.
Slice 4 pickled cucumbers into rounds about 0.5 cm thick, then soak them in cold water, changing the water several times to draw out the excess salt.
In about 30 minutes, the saltiness will be reduced just right for eating.
Place them in a cotton cloth and squeeze with all your strength so no moisture remains.
The secret to crispness lies in this step, so squeeze thoroughly even if it takes some effort.
Add the squeezed pickled cucumbers, 1 tbsp gochugaru, 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, 2 tbsp minced green onion, alcohol, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds,
then mix everything together thoroughly.
Ppunwife's tips
- From this point, enough liquid will have drawn out to submerge the cucumbers, so press them down with a flat, heavy plate.
- If you pickle cucumbers harvested before the monsoon season, they will not turn mushy and you can enjoy them deliciously throughout 1 full year.
- The secret to crispness lies in this step, so squeeze thoroughly even if it takes some effort.
FAQ
What kind of cucumbers are best for oiji?
It is best to use white cucumbers that are not too large, relatively slender, and small.
How many days does it take for oiji to fully pickle?
In cool spring weather it takes about a week, while in warmer summer temperatures it fully pickles in 3 to 5 days.
How do you remove the excess salt from oiji when making the seasoned dish?
Slice them into 0.5 cm thick rounds and soak in cold water for about 30 minutes, changing the water several times, to reduce the saltiness to just the right level.
What is the key tip to keeping seasoned oiji crunchy?
After soaking to remove excess salt, place the cucumbers in a cotton cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
