Wild Ginger Cucumber Kimchi

Ingredients:

• 2 Large cucumbers
• 2 Scallion stalks
• ⅓ cup Gochujang
• 1 tbs Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Fresh ginger, minced
• ½ tsp Wild ginger salt
• 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• ½ cup Water
• Additional salt
• For Brining Solution
• 6 cups Water
• 10 tbsp Coarse sea salt

Instructions:

1. Rub 2 whole, large (about 11″) cucumbers with 2 tbsp of coarse salt to reduce the bitterness of the cucumber skin. Wash thoroughly and drain.
2. Slice off the ends of cucumbers. Place the cucumber on end and cut in half, lengthwise, without cutting through to the end (leave about ½″). Rotate the cucumber and repeat. The second cut should be perpendicular to the first cut (like a cross).
3. To make brining solution, mix 6 cups of water and 10 tbsp of coarse sea salt and bring it to boil. Place cut up cucumbers in a bowl and pour the boiling salt water over them. Let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse the cucumbers in cold water. Let then drain for at least 15 min in a strainer or pat dry with a paper towel.
4. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the gochujang, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, ½ cup of water, and wild ginger salt. Once drained, coat the entirety cucumbers with the seasoning, making sure to stuff the sauce into the cucumbers where possible.
5. Place the cucumbers in an airtight container. Pour the leftover sauce into the container. Leave at room temperature for 8-12 hours for fermentation. Store in the fridge afterwards.