Korean Soy Pickled Cucumber
Oi jangajji is a Korean soy-pickled cucumber made by slicing cucumbers into one-centimeter rounds, lightly salting them, then packing them into a sterilized jar with garlic cloves and green chilies before pouring over a boiling brine of soy sauce, water, vinegar, and sugar. The hot liquid partially cooks the cucumber surface while the center stays crisp, and two days of cold fermentation lets the sweet-salty-sour brine soak through to the core. The green chilies leave a faint heat at the back of each bite, and whole garlic cloves release their aroma into the brine as they soften. Reboiling and re-pouring the brine once extends the pickle's crunch, making this a practical side dish that keeps well over a week in the refrigerator.
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Instructions
- 1
Slice cucumbers to 1 cm and lightly salt for 15 minutes.
- 2
Boil soy sauce, water, vinegar, and sugar to make brine.
- 3
Slice garlic and chilies and place in a sterilized jar.
- 4
Dry cucumbers, add to jar, and pour hot brine over.
- 5
Cool completely and refrigerate for 2 days before eating.
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