Korean Zucchini Pickles (Soy Vinegar Brine Jangajji)
Jangajji - Korean soy-pickled preserves - date back to a time before refrigeration, when vegetables were preserved in soy brine to last through lean months. This version uses young zucchini, sliced into thick half-moons and layered with onion, cheongyang chili, and whole garlic cloves in a sterilized jar. A boiling-hot brine of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water is poured directly over the vegetables, partially cooking the outer edges while the centers stay crisp. The pickle is ready in 24 hours but deepens in flavor over three days as the sweet-sour-salty brine penetrates fully. Unlike fresh banchan that must be eaten the same day, jangajji keeps for two weeks in the refrigerator, making it a reliable side dish to pull out whenever the meal needs a bright, tangy counterpoint.
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Instructions
- 1
Slice zucchini into 0.8 cm half-moons and onion into thick strips.
- 2
Layer zucchini, onion, chili, and garlic in a sterilized glass jar.
- 3
Boil soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water until sugar dissolves fully.
- 4
Pour the boiling brine directly into the jar, seal, and let cool.
- 5
Refrigerate after cooling and serve from 24 hours later.
- 6
For deeper flavor, wait 3 days; consume within 2 weeks.
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