Name: Cucumber kimchi
Total time: 10 min
Yield: Makes 500g
Ingredients: 500g mini cucumbers, halved lengthways; 2 tsp flaky sea salt; 1 tsp caster sugar; ½ apple, grated; 3 cloves garlic, sliced; a thumb-sized piece ginger, shredded; 2 tbsp gochugaru, (see notes below); 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 3 spring onions, shredded

Cucumber Kimchi sliced in half with kimchi sprinkled on top, served in a deep speckled blue and grey bowl

500g mini cucumbers
halved lengthways
2 tsp flaky sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
½ apple
grated
3 cloves garlic
sliced
a thumb-sized piece ginger
shredded
2 tbsp gochugaru
(see notes below)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 spring onions
shredded

Method

step 1
Put the cucumber pieces into a bowl and sprinkle over the salt. Toss and leave for 20 minutes to draw out the moisture, then drain.
step 2
Put the sugar, apple, garlic, ginger, gochugaru, fish sauce and soy sauce into a bowl and mix well. Add in the drained cucumbers and spring onions, and toss really well. Spoon into a shallow dish and leave covered at room temperature for 12 hours or overnight, stirring every now and again. It’s then ready to serve or will keep covered in the fridge for a week, with the cucumbers becoming softer and funkier with time.