Cucumber & Onion Jangajji (Korean Soy Pickles)
A sweet-and-sour cucumber and onion jangajji that pairs perfectly with meat! The cucumbers are salted with sugar, and the liquid they release is used to make a soy-vinegar brine — poured over and aged a day for a crunchy, refreshing side dish.
Ingredients
Main
- Cucumber4
- Onion2
- Cheongyang chili8
- Red chilia few (optional)
Brine
- Sugar180 g
- Soy sauce1 cup
- Vinegar1 cup
Directions
- 1
Wash the cucumbers, slice them lengthwise in half, and scoop out the seeds in the center with a teaspoon.
- 2
Cut into bite-sized pieces, mix in 180 g of sugar, and let sit for 6 hours to cure. (Adjust the sugar to taste.)
- 3
After 6 hours the cucumbers release a lot of liquid — do NOT throw it away.
- 4
Lift out the cucumbers and combine with the sliced onion and cheongyang chilies. (Adding a few red chilies makes it look pretty.)
- 5
Bring 2 cups of the cucumber liquid plus 1 cup soy sauce and 1 cup vinegar to a boil.
- 6
Pour the boiled brine, still hot, over the mixed vegetables.
- 7
Let it age at room temperature for about a day, then refrigerate. It gets even tastier after a few days as the onion soaks up the flavor.
Tips
Don't discard the liquid the sugar-salted cucumbers release — use it for the brine for deeper flavor. Pour the brine on hot to keep the crunch, and age a few days so the onion soaks up the flavor too.