Cucumber kimchi (oi-sobagi) is made by turning a cucumber into a pocket and stuffing it with vegetables and kimchi paste. It’s delicious and refreshing and it’s a great kimchi to make when cucumbers are in season and you don’t feel like waiting for your kimchi to ferment. You can eat this right away: they’re cool, spicy, and crunchy and go well with beef and radish soup. Cucumber kimchi is a good example of a kimchi that doesn’t have to be fermented to be great.
It’s been a very popular recipe on my website ever since I first posted it. However my original video used copyright-protected music (‘A Message to You, Rudy’ by The Specials), and the sound was recently removed by the copyright holder. Many people have been asking me to remake the video, so with cucumbers in season it’s a good time to do it. Enjoy the updated video!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds kirby cucumbers (9 or 10 cucumbers) or 4 4½ inch long small, thin cucumbers.
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 cup buchu (Asian chives), chopped into ½ inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup onion, sliced thinly
- ½ cup hot pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions
- Wash the cucumbers. Make pockets out of them by slicing them twice lengthwise at right angles, ½ inch from one end so the cucumber quarters are still connected to each other at the end.
- Put them in a big bowl, and sprinkle and rub them with salt inside and out. Let them sit for 10 minutes on the kitchen counter, and then turn them over so they’re evenly salted. Then turn them over and let them sit another 10 minutes.
- Rinse the cucumbers in cold water a couple of times to remove excess salt. Drain and set aside.
- Combine buchu (Asian chives), carrot, hot pepper flakes, fish sauce, sugar, and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Stuff the seasoning paste into the cucumber pockets. If you have sensitive skin, you can wear rubber gloves for this because the paste might irritate your hands.
- Serve immediately as a side dish for rice, and keep the leftovers in the refrigerator. If you prefer it to be fermented a bit more, let the container sit at room temperature for a couple of days until it smells and tastes sour. Then put it into the fridge. Serve cold.
My original video shows how to make barley rice. Eventually I’ll make a videos for this, too, but in the meantime here’s the recipe:
Barley Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain rice, 1 cup barley
Directions
- Combine rice and barley rice in a heavy pot.
- Wash and drain a couple of times. Drain water as much as you can and add 2½ cups water.
- Cover and let it sit at least 30 minutes.
- Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Open the lid and turn the rice over with a rice scoop or spoon.
- Simmer it over low heat for another 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a rice scoop to remove excess steam. Serve immediately with side dishes.
Posted on Sunday, January 27th, 2008 at 10:49 pm.
Last updated on October 5, 2014.
Tagged: cucumber kimchi, cucumber recipe, cucumbers, 오이소바기, 오이소박이, korean food, Korean food images, Korean food website, Korean kitchen, Korean recipes, korean side dish, Maangchi recipes, oi-sobagi, oikimchi, oisobagi, spicy stuffed cucumber kimchi, stuffed cucumber kimchi
The video for this recipe is a remake. The original was posted on January 28, 2008 and has been watched 440,852 times.
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I’ve made it twice and it’s awesome. My 5-year-old loves it and asks for it when it’s dinner time!☺️ Thank u again. I just love all your videos and wished I lived near u to share food! I think u r so cute in your videos! Wish I knew how to share pictures. I want to show mine!
I made this not expecting anything too special. Boy, was I wrong–this is absolutely fantastic!
It’s very good fresh, but I think it’s magically transformed after a day or two in the fridge when the flavors have a chance to meld. It hasn’t lasted long enough to ferment yet!
Thanks Maangchi!
Hi, just wanted to say that I love this recipe! Plus, after I left it fermented fora couple days, I made some of them into like fried pickles style. it was so awesome. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh, looks so yummy! Crunchy fresh cucumbers and salty, spicy hot filling. I love it!
Hi maangchi! I wonder it can without to put stuffing in cucumber kimchi? Is that taste better with stuffing? Let me know before I head to make soon. Look forward you respond soon. :-)
Thank you for another great recipe!
This is probably one of the most delicious maangchi recipe that I have ever tried. Tasting this dish brought tears to my eyes (I exaggerate)…honestly, I could not get enough of this all summer long. Just a warning: it’s quite garlicky but so so good.
Hi Maangchi,
I know this has nothing to do with this recipe but can you please write my name in Korean?
Its Krynauw, the pronunciation is Cray (as in crayfish) + no (as in yes- no)
I would REALLY appreciate it!!!
Thanks :)
I think your name can be written 크래이노 in Korean. I know that is too late but I still hope that it can help you.
Hi Maangchi,
I’m going to make oi sobagi but you say sugar in the recipe. But didn’t add sugar on your video. Sugar or not???
You make me watch the video again! Watch it again. I add 1 tablespoon sugar in the video. Good luck with making delicious oisobagi!
Sorry Maangchi, I watched for four times but I couldn’t see sugar. Now, I watched again and see sugar =) Really very interesting =))) Sorry again. And thank you. I’m going to make the recipe today.
No problem!! : )
Check out the video at 3:48, please. I used this sugar: https://www.maangchi.com/ingredient/turbinado-sugar
Hello i was wondering if there is any substitute for red pepper powder?
I’m not an expert by any means but I tried this recipe many times. You should not substitute with anything other than Korean red pepper powder (coarse). You can order it online (amazon)–it just makes the dish really yummy.
Hi Maangchi,
For this recipe, can I use something else instead of fish sauce?
You can use soy sauce and salt.
Thank you very much =)
Hi Maangchi! Thank you for re-posting this; it’s time for Oi-Sobagi! Yay Oi Kimchi!
I JUST bought these cukes at the farmers market. A friend came over and I showed her how to make them and we had a great time. We did have to run to the korean market to purchase buchu garlic chives…but I think that makes them super authentico. Just like last year, I put in too much carrot, but I can’t complain about that! The stuffing falls all over, but I just press it all into the large jars that I have.
Thank you again for re-posting this seasonal favorite and congratulations on your book deal! You are the best!
I would love to have a garlic stem kimchi recipe too! You do have a thread manul julgi but no recipe yet. (I’m still going to try it! I think I have figured it out.)
So, you are a great teacher and person. I LOve your videos, posts and pictures!
Thanks Maangchi!
Your devoted fan,
Jean
OMG Maangchi, I made this following your recipe a long time ago. This is one of my fav banchans to eat on hot summer days. It’s so good. I just love the spicy, sour, salty, refreshing taste of this dish. I love eating a bowl of rice in cold ice water and having this as a side dish. I can eat a meal like that all summer long haha. I haven’t had it in a while. I should make some soon!
“I love eating a bowl of rice in cold ice water and having this as a side dish.” oh yeah? I always like warm rice but I should try your way sometime! : )
Hi Maangchi, this is first I made it .
It’s look like tasty but I feel too salty.
Is it normal or I have to wash more times before I put stuff ? Thank you.
yes, check out the step 3 please. “Rinse the cucumbers in cold water a couple of times to remove excess salt”
Dear Maangchi,
If I protect this kimchi and coluldn’t finish in the same day, how many times it could be fresh? And how must I hide it? In the refrigerator?
You can enjoy fresh oisobagi for a couple of days if you keep it in the fridge.