Cucumber Kimchi Recipe
This cucumber kimchi recipe is a quick, fresh, and halal-friendly Korean side dish made with crunchy cucumbers, chili flakes, garlic, and a tangy seasoning mix. Ready in just minutes, it offers a perfect balance of spicy, savory, and refreshing flavors, ideal for serving with rice, noodles, or grilled meat.
Ingredients
Fresh Ingredients
- 6 Persian or Lebanese cucumbers sliced into 1/4-inch coins
- 1/2 white onion thinly sliced
- 1 large garlic clove grated
- 1/2 tbsp grated ginger optional
Seasoning (Kimchi Sauce)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt for salting cucumbers only
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp gochugaru
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar alcohol-free
- 2 tbsp halal soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp halal fish sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro optional garnish
Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers into 1/4-inch thick pieces and place them in a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and toss the cucumbers for 5 minutes to remove excess water.
- Lightly rinse the cucumbers under cold water and pat them dry completely.
- In a separate bowl, mix soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger, and gochugaru until smooth.
- Add the sliced onions and cucumbers to the sauce bowl.
- Gently mix everything by hand (use gloves) to coat each cucumber with the red seasoning.
- Place the cucumber kimchi in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Serve chilled and garnish with cilantro or sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Always salt cucumbers for crunch.
- Adjust gochugaru based on spice preference.
- Use only halal-certified fish sauce and soy sauce.