Hooni Kim’s Marinated Spicy Cucumbers (Oee Muchim)

In his headnote for this recipe in My Korea, from which ours adapted, Hooni Kim writes that it is his favorite summer muchim (quick pickle). We completely get why: It’s incredible tangy, spicy and refreshing, utterly craveable.

READ: “Cookbooks We Love: Hooni Kim's 'My Korea' is a knockout of a Korean cooking primer”

Note: We tested the recipe using Persian cucumbers and fish sauce.

Makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

8 Korean, Persian, Japanese or Kirby cucumbers, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

2 tablespoons medium-coarse salt

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon Korean anchovy sauce or 2 teaspoons fish sauce

Instructions

1. Put the cucumbers in a bowl, add the salt, and mix well. Transfer to a colander set in a bowl and let the cucumbers sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to drain.

2. Rinse all the salt off the cucumbers with cold water, let drain well and put them in a large bowl. Add the rice vinegar, gochugaru, sugar, garlic and anchovy or fish sauce and mix well to combine. Transfer the cucumbers to a covered nonreactive container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or ideally 12 hours.

3. When ready to serve, mix the ingredients well again, as the garlic and gochugaru will have settled to the bottom. They may be stored in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days, as long as they remain firm and crunchy.