Oisobagi (오이 소박이): Stuffed Cucumbers Kimchi

Kimchi. Some people are wild fans, whereas others...let's say they just don't realize it, but one day they will love it! It has a deep and pungent flavor and is often (but not always) spicy, qualities that make it so addictive. Chances are, most Americans have tried the traditional Napa cabbage kimchi if they've had kimchi at all before, but there is an endless number of delicious varieties like daikon kimchis, radish-tops kimchis, green onion kimchis, and the cucumber kimchis I'm showing you here.  And like any country's beloved dish, the recipes for each of these styles vary from region to region and household to household.

This version, in which small cucumbers are stuffed with Korean red pepper and vegetables, is called oisobagi (오이 소박이). Flavorful and refreshing, it goes well with simple soups and porridges, or as one of many side dishes in a larger meal setting. Start by cutting and salting the cucumbers, and as the water is drawn from them, prepare the delicious stuffing of carrots, green onions, and Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru).

 

Traditional oisobagi uses a combination of green onions and buchu (a Korean herb like chives but much more delicately flavored), but lacking buchu, substitute with more green onions.

There are so many ways to enjoy kimchi. Korean style, it could be served in combination with any of your favorite Korean side dishes, or (especially with the cabbage variety) chopped up and incorporated into fried rice, as a part of a stew (great use for more aged kimchi!), or simply over a bowl of steamed white rice. Or try incorporating it into Western dishes. These oisobagi, for example, when chopped, would be a great new topping to try out on hotdogs or hamburgers--think a spicy cross of pickle and sauerkraut!

Oisobagi 오이 소박이 Stuffed Cucumbers Kimchi

2 lbs. small seedless cucumbers (about 12)

2 Tbs. koshering or coarse grained salt

½ cup shredded/julienned carrot

2 cups buchu (Korean chives) or green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces and shredded

¼ cup fish sauce

½ cup Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

1 ½ Tbs. (2 cloves) minced garlic

1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger

1 Tbs. sugar

Wash cucumbers and cut cross-wise slits down the length of the cucumbers, leaving sections attached at one end of the cucumber. Rub all surfaces of the cut cucumbers with salt and let drain 30 minutes. Thoroughly rinse off salt from the cucumbers under running water and drain cucumbers well, patting dry.

Mix together the fish sauce, gochugaru, garlic, ginger, and sugar to form a paste, then stir in the carrots and green onions. Working with gloved hands (to avoid staining them with the pepper paste), stuff each cucumber with some of the filling. Enjoy right away or store away in an airtight container, refrigerated, for later use. When serving, you might want to cut each cucumbers cross-wise once or twice with kitchen scissors to make smaller pieces.