Step 1

Here’s a recipe for making soy sauce-based pepper and onion pickles without boiling. It’s simple and tastes amazing!

Step 2

First, peel and thoroughly wash the onions. Then, cut them into bite-sized pieces (about 1-1.5cm thick rings or half-moons). Wash the Cheongyang peppers, remove the stems, and finely chop them (about 0.5cm thick slices). If you like it spicier, you can leave the seeds in.

The basic ratio for soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water is 1:1:1:1. You’ll prepare 1/2 cup of each. This ratio can be adjusted to your preference for sweetness or sourness, so feel free to increase or decrease the sugar or vinegar accordingly. This time, I reduced the sugar slightly for a less sweet taste. Baek Jong Won’s recipe is characterized by using equal parts of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

Step 3

Place the sliced onions and peppers into a large bowl or a glass jar. Mix all the prepared soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water to create the pickling brine. Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved. (You can add a little sesame seed if you like.)

Pour the prepared soy sauce mixture over the onions and peppers, ensuring they are submerged. Mix everything well so the ingredients are evenly coated with the brine. Using the 1/2 cup ratio for each ingredient will yield about 2 cups of pickles. If you wish to make a larger batch, you can increase each ingredient to 2/3 cup while maintaining the 1:1:1:1 ratio.

Step 4

Transfer the finished pepper and onion pickles to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. They are delicious to eat right away, but letting them marinate in the refrigerator for about a day will allow the flavors to meld more deeply, resulting in an even richer taste. They are a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, cutting through the richness, and also make a superb side dish when served with warm rice. To preserve their crispiness, it’s recommended to eat them soon after making or consume them while refrigerated.