Spicy Pickled Cucumbers

I'm not the biggest fan of vegetables because... it sounds weird but I think it tastes too healthy. I despise it's fresh taste. I know I'm completely weird. The only way I'll eat my vegetables is if it's in a delightful sauce or marinaded well.
This dish is a Korean side dish served at many restaurants along with other sides called "banchan". As soon as you sit down at a Korean restaurant you are served a bowl of rice and a whole table full of banchan. 
Banchan can range from potato salad, sweet glazed beans, kimchi, garlic soy marinated tofu, sweet and spicy roasted potatoes, acorn jelly, sesame bean sprouts, the list seriously goes on as you can see below. Each side dish is delicious and so much fun to eat with your plain bowl of rice and your entree. Almost all banchan is in vegetable form and is healthy. 

Spicy Pickled Cucumbers:

2 packs of small seedless cucumbers

1/4 coarse red pepper flakes (Find in Asian market or use paprika with a tsp or 2 of cayenne)

3 tsp minced garlic

1/8 c rice vinegar (you can replace with regular vinegar)

1/8 c fish sauce (you can replace with soy sauce)

Slice small rings that are 1/4 inch thick

Add course salt (1 tbsp) & add water until cucumbers are submerged

Let the cucumbers soak for 30 min and squeeze excess water out of the cucumber

This is what Korean coarse red pepper flakes look like. It has some heat but not a lot. My grandma actually made this for me by drying red peppers and grinding them. 

Make a paste with the red pepper flakes, vinegar, fish sauce, and garlic. Add 1/2 tsp salt

Coat the cucumbers. They are crispy, spicy, garlicky, and so delicious. My friend Hannah absolutely loves this. I'm sure she could devour the entire bowl! Check out her blog, Eat Love Inspire. 

Serve dish with rice or just eat alone. The longer they marinade, they taste better as they start pickling.