Miyeok Cho Muchim (Sweet and Sour Seaweed Salad)
A summer side dish of blanched seaweed and lightly salted vegetables tossed in a spicy, sweet, and sour dressing.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Quickly blanch soaked dried seaweed and toss it with lightly salted vegetables in a spicy, sweet, and tangy dressing. Sugar is used instead of corn syrup to keep excess liquid from pooling, ensuring a clean and crisp flavor. It is a wonderful, refreshing side dish to stimulate your appetite on warm days.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Dried seaweed (miyeok)10 g
- Cucumber1/2
- Onion1/2
- Carrot1/4
- Red chili pepper3
- Bell pepper1/2
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1 tbsp
- Garlic1 tbsp
- Vinegar1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Any vegetables you have at home will work fine. You can omit any of the vegetables I used or swap in others.
- The seaweed used here is packaged dried seaweed sold in stores. I always keep a bag on hand to make both seaweed soup and seaweed salad. In winter, fresh seaweed is widely available and makes a delicious salad as well.
- The amount listed above is for dried seaweed. It is only 10 g, but it expands considerably once soaked. Soak the seaweed in cold water. When you need it quickly in the morning, cover it with water and microwave it for about 2 minutes to rehydrate it in no time. This is a shortcut I use often.
- Lightly salt the cucumber, onion, and carrot beforehand to soften them. Sprinkle just a light pinch of fine salt over them and let sit for about 10 minutes.
Steps
The amount of seaweed listed above is measured dried. It is only 10 g, but it expands considerably once soaked.
Soak the seaweed in cold water. When you need it quickly in the morning, add water and microwave it for about 2 minutes to soften it quickly. This is a shortcut I use often.
Cut the cucumber, carrot, onion, and other vegetables into similar thickness and length.
Lightly salt the cucumber, onion, and carrot beforehand to soften them.
Sprinkle a light dusting of fine salt over them and let sit for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, the seaweed has fully rehydrated.
Drop the soaked seaweed into boiling water to blanch it briefly, then rinse in cold water.
Squeeze the water thoroughly from the seaweed and cut any long pieces. Add the salted cucumber, carrot, onion, and other vegetables, then add the seasoning ingredients above and toss to coat.
Since too much liquid dulls the flavor, I used sugar instead of corn syrup, added just a bit of gochujang, and seasoned with salt.
Finish by tossing with toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Ppunwife's tips
- Since excess liquid makes the dish less flavorful, use sugar instead of corn syrup, use just a small amount of gochujang, and adjust the seasoning with salt.
- If you do not like spicy food, leave out the chili peppers.
FAQ
Is there a trick to rehydrating dried seaweed quickly?
Pour water over it and microwave for about 2 minutes to rehydrate it in a very short time.
How can I prevent too much water from pooling in the salad?
Lightly salting vegetables like cucumber and carrot beforehand and using sugar instead of liquid sweeteners like corn syrup will keep excess moisture to a minimum.
How can I reduce the spiciness?
Leave out the fresh chili peppers when preparing the dish for a milder flavor.
Can I use fresh seaweed instead of dried seaweed?
Yes, fresh seaweed—which is abundant in winter—works wonderfully tossed in the exact same dressing.
