7 of the most delicious Korean-style cucumber recipes for the winter

For those who love experimenting with preserves, try making Korean-style cucumbers for the winter. Crispy young cucumbers pair beautifully with hot spices, and they create a wonderful aroma in the kitchen. This delicious appetizer can be prepared in just a few minutes using ingredients you already have on hand.

Cooking methods

Korean appetizers always include hot spices: garlic, pepper, and mustard. You can use ready-made Korean dressing; it takes just 2-3 minutes to prepare. The finished salad is ready to eat the next day; the vegetables quickly absorb the flavor and aroma of the seasonings. Store the appetizer in a cool place: the refrigerator, cellar, basement, or pantry. It can be stored for up to a year, during which time the cucumbers' flavor will intensify and the spices will be even more infused.

Without sterilization

You can skip sterilization and pack the salad into clean, dry containers. Before doing so, wash the jar with baking soda and wipe it dry. To extend the shelf life of the finished product, add a little vinegar during preparation.

Compound:

• 1-1.5 kg of medium-sized cucumbers;
• 200 g carrots;
• 2 tbsp. 9% vinegar;
• granulated sugar – 2 tbsp;
• salt – 1 tbsp;
• garlic cloves – 5-6 pcs.;
• red pepper – ½ tsp;
• vegetable oil – 50 ml;
• coriander – ½ tsp.

Preparation:

Trim the ends of the cucumbers and cut them into thin, oblong strips. The skins can be left on. Place the sliced ​​strips in a jar.

Peel and shred the carrots, then cut them into long strips with a knife. Add the carrots to the cucumbers and mix well.

Chop the garlic and pepper with a knife and add them to the prepared vegetables. Add the spices to the oil, pour it into the jar, and stir.

At the end of cooking, add vinegar, distribute it evenly throughout the entire container, roll up the jars with lids and put them away for storage.

No carrots

You can skip the carrots without sacrificing the flavor or quality of the appetizer. You can also substitute other vegetables, such as eggplant, which pairs perfectly with cucumbers and adds an extra zing.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 1-1.5 kg;
• eggplants - 2 pcs. medium size;
• 2 tbsp Korean dressing;
• 3-4 cloves of garlic;
• a sprig of dill and parsley;
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil;
• 1 tbsp soy sauce;
• 1 tbsp. sugar.

Preparation:

Peel the eggplants and cut them into slices. Lightly fry the slices over medium heat without adding oil until half-cooked. Make sure the vegetables don't lose their shape or become too soft. Cut the slices into oblong strips 3-4 centimeters long and place them in a deep bowl.

The cucumbers are cut into strips and added to the eggplant. The contents of the cup are sprinkled with Korean dressing, garlic is squeezed out, and soy sauce is added.

Heat vegetable oil in the microwave and dissolve sugar in it. Pour the oil over the vegetables and stir.

The final step in preparation is adding the herbs. They are chopped and sprinkled over the appetizer, then mixed. The entire salad is transferred to a container and sterilized in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. While the appetizer is hot, the jar is closed with a lid, the jar is turned upside down, and the mixture is allowed to cool.

Quickly for the winter

This five-minute recipe will help you prepare this appetizer in just a couple of minutes. Korean dressing is recommended, but if you don't have it, use dried red pepper and garlic.

Compound:

• young gherkins - 1 kg;
• soy sauce -1 tbsp;
• vinegar 6% - 2 tbsp;
• 1 tbsp Korean seasoning;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil;
• 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Preparation:

Wash the gherkins and dry them on a towel. Then trim off the ends and cut them into thin strips. Transfer the sliced ​​cucumbers to a bowl.

In another bowl, mix the butter with the seasoning and sugar. Add vinegar and soy sauce. Finally, squeeze the garlic and pour the mixture over the cucumbers.

The salad should stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours, then it is transferred to a jar and placed in the oven at 80 degrees for 10 minutes to sterilize.

Once the appetizer has cooled, cover it and refrigerate. You can sample it on the second day. The contents of an opened jar will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Finger-licking good

In addition to cucumbers, the recipe includes carrots and bell peppers. This combination of vegetables imparts a rich flavor to the finished dish, enhanced by the pungent notes of garlic and other spices.

Compound:

• 4 kg gherkins;
• 3-4 medium carrots;
• 3-4 bell peppers;
• 100 ml vegetable oil;
• 1 red hot chili pepper;
• 4 tbsp soy sauce;
• 50 ml vinegar 6%;
• 2 tbsp. sugar;
• 2 tbsp. salt;
• 2 tbsp coriander;
• 7-8 garlic cloves.

Preparation:

For cooking, use a large bowl, but a deep saucepan will do as well. Add the gherkins, peppers, and carrots, one after the other, into the bowl.

Make the seasoning mixture. Heat the oil in a frying pan until blue smoke forms on the surface. Turn off the heat, and stir in the spices, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Finely dice the garlic and chili pepper, add to the oil, mix again and pour the dressing over the vegetables in the pan.

Place the salad in jars and sterilize in boiling water for 10 minutes. Then seal the lids.

Before serving, the salad needs to stand for at least 3-4 days in a cool place so that all the ingredients are properly mixed together.

With mustard

Mustard adds additional flavor to cucumbers. You can use mustard powder or ready-made seasoning in a tube. Adjust the spiciness to your taste. A little horseradish root can be added to the mustard.

Compound:

• cucumbers - 1.5-2 kg;
• 1 tbsp. strong mustard;
• 2 tbsp soy sauce;
• 5-6 cloves of garlic;
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar;
• 1 tbsp salt;
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil;
• 2 tbsp 6% vinegar;
• chili pepper;
• ½ tsp coriander.

Preparation:

Rinse the gherkins thoroughly under water and then cut into slices no more than 1 centimeter thick. Place the sliced ​​cucumbers in a deep bowl.

Heat the vegetable oil slightly over medium heat and add sugar, salt, and soy sauce. After 2 minutes, stirring constantly, add vinegar and squeeze out the garlic cloves. Season the mixture with coriander and mustard.

Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and finely dice its skin. Add the cubes to the cucumbers, and pour the dressing over them.

The salad is transferred to a storage jar and sterilized in hot water or in the oven for at least 10 minutes.

With Korean seasoning made from overripe cucumbers

Overripe cucumbers aren't suitable for pickling, but they make a wonderful Korean appetizer. You can use cucumbers of any size—they'll be sliced ​​later, so the size doesn't matter.

Compound:

• 2-2.5 kg of cucumbers;
• 2 tbsp Korean seasoning (for spicy carrots);
• 2 tbsp. vinegar 6%;
• 1 tbsp sugar;
• 1 tsp salt;
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil;
• a bunch of fresh basil and dill;
• 4-5 cloves of garlic.

Preparation:

Slice the cucumbers into thin slices. For convenience, you can cut each slice into two halves. Place the sliced ​​cucumbers in a deep bowl.

Finely chop the herbs and add chopped garlic. Lightly mash the mixture with a knife to release the juices and add it to the cucumbers.

In another bowl, mix the oil with the spices and vinegar. Dress the cucumbers with the herbs and garlic. Let the salad sit for 2-3 hours at room temperature with the lid on. After this time, place the mixture in a jar and place it in hot water to sterilize.

Before serving, pour the brine from the jar over the vegetables. In appearance and taste, an appetizer made with overripe cucumbers will be no different from one made with young gherkins.

On a grater

To save time, you can use a grater to shred vegetables. If you have a grater for Korean carrots, you can use that. Otherwise, use a regular coarse grater.

Compound:

• 2 medium carrots;
• 1 bell pepper;
• 6-8 small cucumbers;
• 4-5 garlic cloves;
• 1 hot pepper;
• 1 tbsp. vinegar 9%;
• 1 tbsp soy sauce;
• 1 tsp granulated sugar;
• 1 tsp salt;
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil.

Preparation:

At the beginning of preparation, grate the cucumbers and carrots. Squeeze some of the juice from the cucumbers, but not all of it. Cut the bell pepper into strips and mix with the chopped vegetables.

Finely chop the garlic and chili pepper and add to the vegetable oil. Add vinegar and soy sauce. Finally, add sugar and salt and stir until the dressing is smooth.

Mix the dressing with the remaining vegetables, stir several times to ensure all the vegetables are coated in the oil and spices, cover the container with a lid and leave to stand for an hour.

Place the resulting snack in a jar and then sterilize it in the microwave for 5 minutes.

Tips and recommendations

To ensure your preparation is a success and will please your guests and family, use the following recommendations when preparing it:

1. Use freshly picked cucumbers. They have crisp flesh and beautiful skins. Picked gherkins should be refrigerated and prepared within 7 days.
2. Fruits of irregular shapes are suitable for this preparation. They can be cut into slices, strips, or cubes.
3. The key is that the skins shouldn't be bitter. It's a good idea to taste the fruit before cooking. If the skins are bitter, discard them.
4. The amount of chili pepper you use is up to you. Since this ingredient is very spicy, be sure to wash your hands, cutting board, and knife after cutting it.
5. The soy sauce used in recipes should have a thick consistency and a salty-sweet flavor. You can buy it at the store or make your own from powder.
6. Store the appetizer in a sterilized glass container. Only then can it have a shelf life of at least one year. Alternatively, place the salad in a plastic food container, seal it with a lid, and refrigerate it. The appetizer stored in the container should be consumed within a week.

Korean-style cucumbers are a versatile appetizer, perfect for both a festive table and a casual family dinner. This preparation instantly becomes a favorite, especially for those who enjoy spicy and innovative dishes. They pair well with white and red meats and vegetable side dishes, and look appetizing and quite impressive on the table.