“Eun makes all the kimchi at Moon Park because Korean people are better at making kimchi than people who aren’t Korean – they eat it two or three times a day from the time they’re old enough to eat solids, so they have a distinct home-field advantage,” says Sears. This cucumber kimchi is a fairly gentle introduction to making kimchi, he says, because it’s a lot easier than salting and squeezing out whole cabbages, and you don’t have to wait two months to enjoy it – it’s good to eat the next day (although better after two or three). “We serve it with nashi to add sweetness while countering some of the pungency and funk.” Start the recipe at least a day ahead to ferment the kimchi.
Ingredients
Kimchi marinade
Method
Main
1.Place cucumber in a bowl. Bring 400ml water and 15gm salt to the boil, then pour onto cucumber. Set aside to brine for 20 minutes, then drain, rinse and drain again. Set aside.
2.For kimchi marinade, blend ginger, garlic, krill, maesil, fish sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a small food processor, then pass through a strainer into a bowl. Add perilla, gochugaru and cucumbers, place in a non-reactive container, cover and refrigerate overnight, but preferably for 2-3 days, until lightly fermented and sour.
3.Serve cucumber kimchi garnished with nashi slices and radish sprouts.
Drink Suggestion: 2013 Ravensworth Riesling or Korean buja makgeolli. Drink suggestion by Ned Brooks
