I saw a thread from LayRecipes: Refreshing spicy marinated cucumber. Google: “A pickled cucumber – commonly known as a pickle in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It’s a cucumber that has been preserved in brine, vinegar, or another acidic solution and left to ferment.”

Today, cucumbers are on sale. First, it’s important to buy cucumbers that are fresh and in their prime. So, I decided to make pickles and remember how both my grandma and I would do theirs not just with cucumbers but with carrots and daikon along with fresh long red chili. They don’t peel their cucumbers. Theirs have fish sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, mature black vinegar or light soy sauce, sugar cane, and at times palm sugar. I guess that would balance the sour and sweet tanginess of their pickled vegetables. I am combining from LayRecipes but with a bit of my own so I can call it my creation. I sprinkle salt on my cucumbers just like I would do with eggplant.

Well, everyone has their own creation method of doing pickled cucumber. I am a chili lover; I just added chili flakes only as I am taking this pickled cucumber to my friend’s home for dinner tomorrow, and 3 of my friends can’t eat chili, so I have omitted fresh red chili for this. After all, chili is expensive too. Let’s get the pickling done!!!

Ingredients

2 long and large cucumbers
2 Tbs salt, divide
1/2 c white vinegar
1/2 c white wine vinegar
3/4 c warm water
1/2 c cold water, enough to cover the cucumbers
2-4 Tbs sugar, adjust to taste
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tsp ginger powder
1 Tsp truffle infused olive oil
1 Tsp matured black vinegar
1 Tsp soy sauce
1/2 Tsp salt (OPT)
1 Tsp brined red peppercorns, use peppercorns only
1 1/4 Tsp chili flakes

Method

 Allow the pickled cucumbers at least 1 night in the fridge before using

Cut cucumber into coin shape about 1/4 inch thick. Place the cucumber slices in 2 wide square plates and sprinkle them with 1 Tbs salt each plate. Toss to evenly distribute the salt. Let them sit for about 15-20 minutes to release excess moisture.

While the cucumbers are being in salt to release excess moisture, prepare the pickled marinate. In a metal bowl, combine white vinegar, white wine vinegar, 3/4 c warm water first, 2 Tbs sugar, minced garlic, ginger powder, truffle infused olive oil, matured black vinegar, soy sauce, chili flakes, 1/2 Tsp salt if using and just red peppercorns. Stir until sugar and salt are fully dissolved.

After the cucumbers have released moisture, DO NOT rinse the salt off, but lift them out of the square plate with a food clipper and place sliced cucumbers into another square plate. Line them in rows and, if needed, pile them in rows. Pour the marinade (brine sauce) over the sliced cucumbers. Now add enough cold water to cover the sliced cucumbers. Tilt the plate a bit, using a spoon, to spoon some of the marinade over the sliced cucumbers. Cling wrap the plate and then put it in the fridge for 2-4 hours or overnight. Do spoon some marinade over the top every hour for the four hours. Just before you go to sleep, spoon the marinade over a couple of times. Keep in an airtight container or sterile mason jar the next day. This will last 2 weeks in the fridge. Serve the pickled cucumbers chilled or as a side dish.

Note:  Allow the pickled cucumbers at least 1 night in the fridge before using. Serve these pickled cucumbers as a refreshing side dish or condiment to complement Asian meals: nasi kunyit or nasi lemak. They’re perfect alongside rice, such as poke bowl or as sandwiches or even serve along with steak. If you like your pickles on the sweet side add 1/4 cup of sugar to the brine (you can add more or less sugar to your liking). You can also adjust the spices used in the brine, using more or less of what you like. 

https://helenscchin.com/2025/02/09/simple-chili-flakes-pickled-cucumber/

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