Korean Pickles Recipes

KOREAN PICKLES

Steps:

• Cut the cucumbers into thin slices and toss with salt, then let sit in colander for 1 hour.
• Squeeze water out of cucumbers then roll in paper towels to squeeze any remaining water out.
• Add pepper flakes, vinegar, sesame oil and sugar to the cucumbers, place in airtight container and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

KOREAN CHEESEBURGERS WITH SESAME-CUCUMBER PICKLES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add cucumbers and toss to coat, then let stand at room temperature.
• Heat broiler to high and set oven rack set 6 inches from heat. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, scallions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Mix well, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the marinade to a small bowl and stir in mayonnaise and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine beef and 3 tablespoons of the scallion marinade. Gently mix to incorporate. Form into 8 thin patties (each about 4 ½ inches wide) and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush tops with half of the remaining marinade. Flip and brush with the remaining marinade. Broil until golden and caramelized on top, about 4 minutes.
• Arrange cheese on 4 patties, top with the remaining patties and let stand until cheese melts, about 1 minute.
• Pour off all the liquid from the cucumbers and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil.
• Smear the cut side of the buns with some of the seasoned mayonnaise. Arrange bottom buns on plates. Layer with lettuce, onion, tomato, double-stack burgers, pickles and top bun. Serve with extra pickles on the side.

KOREAN REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

Steps:

• Quarter cucumbers lengthwise and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Put cucumbers and onions in a bowl and cover with salt. Mix gently to coat all the pieces with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
• Drain cucumbers and onion in a colander. Place back into the bowl and fill with water; stir to rinse. Drain again.
• Combine garlic and gochugaru in a 1-quart Mason jar. Add the cucumbers and onion. Fill jar to the top with vinegar. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.

OIJI (KOREAN PICKLED CUCUMBERS)

Steps:

• Rinse the cucumbers, and air dry or pat dry with a paper towel.
• Bring the water and salt to a boil, and continue to boil for 3 or 4 minutes.
• Place the cucumbers in a jar or a container (heat proof, BPA free). Pour the boiling water directly over the cucumbers, or you can put the cucumbers in the pot with the boiling water.
• Keep them entirely submerged in the water by weighing them down with a heavy plate or bowl. When the salt water has cooled down, close with the lid, and let stand at room temperature.
• After 2 to 3 days, pour the brine out into a large pot, and boil it for a few minutes. If there's a while film (golmaji) on the surface of the water, strain it out before boiling. Then, cool completely.
• Pour the cooled brine back over the cucumbers. Close with the lid, and ferment at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, and then refrigerate. The color of oiji should be between olive green and yellow at this point. They can be eaten, but the flavor will further develop with more time, 2 to 3 weeks to a few weeks.
• To serve, thinly slice the cucumber and soak in fresh water until the desired salt level is achieved. You can also cut the cucumber into about 2-inch logs and quarter each one lengthwise. Sprinkle with some gochugaru and/or sesame seeds and garnish with chopped scallion, if desired. You can also add a little bit of vinegar to taste and drop in a couple of ice cubes.

JANGAJJI (VEGETABLE PICKLES)

Steps:

• Clean and cut the vegetables into bite size pieces, any way you want.
• Pack the vegetables in jars or glass containers.
• Add 2 cups of water to a small pot along with 1 cup of soy sauce and 1/2 cup of sugar. Bring it to a boil, and gently boil for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, until the sugar is dissolved. Turn the heat off, and pour in 1/2 cup of vinegar. Adjust to taste if necessary.
• Pour the hot brine over the vegetables. If the vegetables are tightly packed in the jar, you don't need to weigh it down. However, make sure all the vegetables are submerged in the brine.
• Close tightly with a lid, and leave it out at room temperature for a day or 2. Then refrigerate. The pickles can be eaten the next day or so of pickling, but they will taste better as they mature.
• Optional: To keep the pickles longer, you can pour out the brine into a pot and boil it for a few minutes. You can do this after 3 or 4 days of pickling at which time the vegetables have released their water content and diluted the brine. This time, cool it and pour back over the pickles before refrigerating.

SPICY KOREAN CUCUMBER PICKLES (OI MUCHIM)

Steps:

• Squeeze the cucumber pieces firmly to release more water; doing this in small handfuls will be the most effective.
• Cover and chill the pickles for at least 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

HOW TO MAKE KOREAN PICKLED CUCUMBER: A RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• To make the dish, you'll need to begin by cutting cucumbers into either uniform strips or round slices. You can use mandoline for thinner strips, if you'd like.
• Next, you should sprinkle the cucumbers with sugar and salt and toss gently to combine.
• Once the cucumbers have been sprinkled, add vinegar. You need to stir it to make sure all of the cucumbers are coated.
• Once you've completed this step, let the cucumbers sit for about 20 minutes before serving them to your guests. If you've adjusted any of the ingredients, you may want to taste test one of the cucumbers yourself to make sure the flavor is exactly how you like it. If you're cooking the dish for your family, have a spouse or child try one of the cucumbers and let you know what they think about the seasoning.

PICKLED KOREAN RADISH - EASY AND DELICIOUS

Steps:

• In a sanitized glass container (eg: mason jar), put in all the cubed daikon and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, put the rest of the ingredients together until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
• Once everything has dissolved, gently pour the wet mixture over the daikon.
• Store at room temperature for 1-2 hours and then store it in the fridge for up to a few weeks. (If you have a specialized kimchi refrigerator, I have stored it for up to a couple months without it losing its crunchiness.)
• You can enjoy this after a couple hours; however, it is best when served chilled.
• Enjoy!