Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12}

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

I’m going a little crazy locked up in the house with a teenage boy. The snow is as deep as it was the day it fell, and I just found out that Monday is a school holiday, so I have six full days with just me and the boy. Yesterday we walked to the supermarket and took a Lyft home which killed some time. My son is a super active kid and sitting around all day doesn’t suit him at all. We might try to grab a ride to our gym just to get out of the house and kill some time.

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

We’ve been eating a lot of leftovers and sometimes you just need a little something extra to elevate them. I love making homemade refrigerator pickles.  I’ve pickled mushrooms, cherries, peaches, blueberries, and onions.  It’s pretty safe to say that there isn’t much that I wouldn’t consider pickling given the opportunity.  They take almost no work and will keep for weeks and add a nice sweet and sour bite to salads, desserts, and bowls.  When I was a kid, my mom made kimchi and garlic pickles all the time. I was always appalled at the smell but was eager to eat them. You don’t need to make a brine here, just combine a few items you probably have in your pantry and some gochugaru, Korean chili flakes commonly used in the making of kimchi. You could also use gochujang, a chili paste instead, just a teaspoon or so.

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

I like to enjoy these pickles on a rice and veggie bowl or layered into a sandwich for an extra spicy bite. They are great on their own as a snack as well.

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

We’ve been eating a lot of leftovers and sometimes you just need a little something extra to elevate them.  I love making homemade refrigerator pickles.  They take almost no work and will keep for weeks.  When I was a kid, my mom made kimchi and garlic pickles all the time.  I was always appalled at the smell but was eager to eat them.  You don’t need to make a brine here, just combine a few items you probably have in your pantry and some gochugaru, Korean chili flakes commonly used in the making of kimchi.  You could also use gochujang, a chili paste instead, just a teaspoon or so.

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

If you make this recipe be sure to tag #scalingback on Instagram – I love seeing what you create in your kitchen! You can also find me on FacebookTwitterPinterest and Snapchat (username: jeffers.tina)

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

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Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

Quick Spiced Cucumber Pickles {New Year Reset Day 12}
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 servings
 
This quick and spicy Korean inspired pickles only take minutes to prepare and keep weeks in the refrigerator!
Ingredients
  • 3 small cucumbers, peeled and sliced ⅛-inch thick
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated or minced
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon gochugaru
Instructions
  1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir well to combine.
  2. Add the cucumbers and toss well to coat or put on some gloves and use your hands to work the mixture into the cucumbers.
  3. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks but will become stronger the longer they sit.

 

Quick Korean Spiced Cucumber Salad {New Year Reset Day 12} | www.scalingbackblog.com

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  • Meet Tina | Scaling Back Blog

    Self-taught cook, photographer.  You can usually find me at a farmers market dreaming up alternative recipes for my allergy prone family.

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