If you love kimchi any time of the day and any day of the week, then this is the recipe for you. A quick & easy recipe for making delicious kimchi to serve immediately or within the next couple of days.
*See Kitchen Notes for more information, substitutions or related links.
Slice the cucumber thin (about 1/8"). Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Toss to coat and set aside for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, rinse the cucumber slices well, gently squeezing them to remove the moisture.
Slice the daikon thin (about 1/8"). Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Toss to coat and set aside for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, rinse the daikon slices well, gently squeezing them to remove the moisture.
Trim the scalliion roots and tops. Cut in half crosswise then lengthwise. Set aside while you make the kimchi paste.
Combine all of the ingredients for the kimchi paste into a small bowl. Set aside until ready to coat the vegetables.
As the seasoning sets, the chile pepper absorbs the moisture and becomes a paste. That's ok. The remaining moisture in the vegetables will thin it out a bit. You might need to add a teaspoon of water to easily coat the scallions.
Toss each of the vegetables with the paste. Eat immediately, a few hours later or the next day or two.
Vegetables could keep about 4 days in the refrigerator, but I'm sure they'll be gone sooner than 4 days.
This is such an easy recipe that there isn't much else to say that hasn't been said.
Vegetables - I love this kimchi paste with cucumber, daikon and scallions, but feel free to try it with other vegetables.
Gochugaru - Don't be tempted to replace gochugaru with another red chile powder. Keep in mind that not all chile powders taste the same. Each has its own unique flavor. The flavor of gochugaru is what we all love about kimchi.
Rice vinegar - If you triple the recipe, start by adding only 4 - 5 teaspoons vinegar. Add another teaspoon if you want more of a vinegary punch, which is what I prefer.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen