- 800 g (1 ¾ lb) cucumbers - 7-8 garlic cloves - 2-3 dried red chili peppers - 5 cm ginger - 100 ml (6 ¾ tbsp.) soy sauce - 3 tbsp. sugar - 1 tsp. Sichuan pepper (optional) - 3 tbsp. salt - 40 ml (2⅚ tbsp.) vinegar (6% acidity, I use a mixture of 20 ml wine vinegar + - 20 ml rice vinegar) - 200 ml (~1 cup) water - 2-3 tbsp. vegetable oil To serve (optional): - sesame oil - fresh cilantro and/or green onions - sesame seeds
Slice cucumbers any way you like, removing seeds if desired. Stir in 1 tbsp of salt. Peel and chop the ginger and garlic. Grind the dried red chili pepper.
Spread the ginger and garlic over the bottom of two containers (or skip this step and roast them along with the peppers in the next step for more flavor), arrange the cucumbers on top.
Fry the dry red chili pepper and Sichuan pepper mixture in vegetable oil. In a separate saucepan, combine the water, soy sauce, vinegar, remaining salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Pour oil over cucumbers and peppers, then brine. Cool and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Serve by drizzling with sesame oil and sprinkling with cilantro, green onions, and sesame seeds.