Make kimchi with summer cucumbers. It’s easy, crisp, crunchy and deliciously refreshing!

If you ask me which is the easiest kimchi you can try to make this summer, I’d say this cucumber kimchi (oi kimchi, 오이김치)! It’s summer, which means we should all be eating more cucumbers. Simply cut up the cucumbers, salt briefly, and then mix with the seasoning!

It’s an excellent alternative to the stuffed cucumber kimchi, oi sobagi (오이 소박이), if you don’t want to bother stuffing the cucumbers.

Because the cucumbers are cut similar to cubes, this cucumber kimchi is also called oi kkakdugi (오이깍두기), named after cubed radish kimchi — kkakdugi.

Cucumbers and other vegetables

As mentioned in the stuffed cucumber kimchi recipe, use Korean cucumbers if available. Otherwise, Kirby pickling cucumbers are the next best thing for making kimchi. You can also try it with other thin-skinned varieties with crisp flesh and small seeds. The resulting texture may not be as crunchy, depending on the variety. If you have a choice, select cucumbers that are firm and slender. Thicker cucumbers tend to have more seeds and softer flesh.

I like to add Korean garlic chives (buchu, 부추). It’s easier now to find garlic chives around here, and summer garlic chives are tender and delicious. You can leave them out if you can’t find them. Use some scallions instead.

Oi kimchi seasoning

Because this is kimchi, unlike oi muchim, I use salted shrimp (saeujeot/saewujeot, 새우젓) and fish sauce (myeolchiaekjeot, 멸치액젓). The ratio of these two ingredients is always a matter of preference among Korean cooks. You can also just use one of the two, not both. It’s really up to you!

How to make cucumber kimchi vegan

This is actually a question for all kimchi types. There are various ways to make vegan kimchi depending on kimchi types and preference. For this cucumber kimchi, use Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang, 국간장) as a substitute for salted shrimp and/or fish sauce. Use an equal amount and complete the dish with salt as necessary. Or you can simply use salt to season the cucumbers.

How long will this kimchi stay good?

You can eat this kimchi on the same day you make it. It will be best over the next few days, but still good for up to 2 weeks, if it lasts that long. If you like it ripe, leave it out at room temperature overnight to expedite the fermentation process and then refrigerate. Oi kimchi is not for long-term storage.