Cucumber Water Kimchi

Steps

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1. 1
   Wash cucumbers thoroughly and cut them lengthwise in half. Scrape out the seeds in the center with a spoon to maintain crispness over time.
   ▶ ≈0:15
2. 2
   Cut cucumbers into thick diagonal slices and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tsp coarse salt and mix well. Let sit for 20 minutes, flipping once or twice for even salting.
   ▶ ≈0:31
3. 3
   Rinse the salted cucumbers quickly under water, pat dry, and spread on a wide colander or sieve. Leave at room temperature overnight to dry.
   ▶ ≈0:51
4. 4
   Cut napa cabbage in half, remove the hard core, wash thoroughly, and cut lengthwise into long strips.
   ▶ ≈1:08
5. 5
   Place cut cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with 2 tsp coarse salt, mix well, and let sit for 10 minutes.
   ▶ ≈1:22
6. 6
   In a pot, mix 3 tbsp rice flour with 500 ml water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring constantly until thickened. Add 4 tsp coarse salt and stir to dissolve.
   ▶ ≈1:37
7. 7
   Pour 500 ml cold water into the rice flour base to cool it down quickly to room temperature or lukewarm.
   ▶ ≈1:59
8. 8
   Add roughly chopped apple, 10 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced ginger, 4 tbsp red chili powder, and 500 ml water to a blender. Blend until smooth.
   ▶ ≈2:06
9. 9
   Pour the blended chili mixture into a cheesecloth. Rinse the blender with 500 ml water and pour into the cloth as well. Gently squeeze the cloth with your hands to extract all the flavorful liquid.
   ▶ ≈2:17
10. 10
    Combine the strained chili liquid with the cooled rice flour base. Add 3 tbsp oligosaccharide syrup to taste and mix well.
    ▶ ≈2:37
11. 11
    Place the salted cabbage (unwashed) directly into the kimchi container, then add the dried cucumbers.
    ▶ ≈2:53
12. 12
    Add 10 green onion pieces cut to finger length and 2 red chili peppers sliced diagonally for garnish.
    ▶ ≈2:59
13. 13
    Pour the prepared chili liquid base into the container. Adjust the liquid amount according to your preference; add more water if you prefer a brothier kimchi. Taste and add more coarse salt if needed.
    ▶ ≈3:07
14. 14
    Let ferment at room temperature for 2–3 days. Once it reaches your desired fermentation level, transfer to the refrigerator and store for up to a month.
    ▶ ≈3:25