Oi-so-bagi (Cucumber Kimchi)

I’m back in six months. You may have thought that I quit blogging. For half a year, I concentrated on my doctoral thesis and finally all my committee members approved my dissertation last week. It has been a long journey to complete my Ph.D. degree because I had to work and study at the same time. I’m so happy to be back.

The first dish in 6 months is Oi-so-bagi(오이소박이), cucumber Kimchi. My mom always told me that Oi-so-bagi is the easiest Kimchi to make. Now I understand what she meant.^^

[Ingredients]

Cucumber (오이), leek (부추), red pepper (홍고추), Saeu-jeot(새우젓, salted shrimp), red pepper powder (고추가루), salt (소금), sugar (설탕)

1. Preserve cucumbers(6) in salt for about an hour.
2. After an hour, cut the cucumbers into 3 pieces and slice a piece of cucumber into 4 sections.
3. Wash pieces of cucumbers.

1. Cut a handful of leeks into about 2cm (1 inch).
2. Cut red peppers(3) into small pieces.
3. Mince salted shrimps(3 spoons).
4. Mix all the ingredients and add red pepper powder(3~4 spoons) and sugar(1 spoon) (or plum syrup).

Stuff the mixed ingredients in the middle of 4 sections one by one.

Cucumber Kimchi do not need to be fermented. You can eat them fresh like salads and I suggest that you should eat them out within 3-4 days. Do you also agree with my mom that making cucumber kimchi is not difficult? ^^