Refreshing Oi Muchim (Seasoned Cucumber Salad)
A summery side dish of salted cucumbers and garlic chives tossed in a spicy, tangy fish sauce 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 →
This is a refreshing vegetable side dish that helps replenish moisture and awaken your appetite in hot weather. Salted and squeezed cucumbers are tossed with garlic chives in a seasoned sauce for a clean, crisp finish. It pairs wonderfully with grilled meats or mixed into a bowl of rice.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Chilled Cucumber Salad Ingredients
- Cucumber1
Garlic Sauce
- Garlic3 cloves (minced)
- Red chili pepper1 (minced)
- Sugar0.5 tbsp
- Vinegar2 tbsp
- Water1 tbsp
- Salt0.5 tsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Toasted sesame oila little (optional)
Cucumber and Garlic Chive Salad Ingredients
- Cucumber1
- Garlic chives (buchu)1 handful, 70 g
- Fine salt0.5 tbsp
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1.5 tbsp
- Sand lance fish sauce or anchovy fish sauce (or dried anchovies)0.5 tbsp
- Vinegar1.5 tbsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Add 0.5 tbsp fine salt and let it salt for about 30 minutes.
- This red chili pepper is spicy, so if you do not like spicy food, you can omit the chili.
- If you do not like fish sauce, adjust the seasoning with regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) and salt.
Steps
Rub the cucumber with coarse sea salt and rinse it in water.
Prepare 3 cloves of garlic and 1 small red chili pepper for the garlic sauce.
This red chili pepper is spicy, so if you do not like spicy food, you can omit the chili.
Finely mince the red chili pepper and garlic with a knife.
You can use minced garlic, but mincing it with the tip of a knife like this gives you a nice texture to bite into.
Add all the garlic sauce ingredients in the specified amounts and mix well. You can also use this sauce for chilled jellyfish salad (haepari naengchae).
Cut the garlic chives into 4-5cm lengths.
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and slice it diagonally.
Add 0.5 tbsp fine salt and let it salt for about 30 minutes.
As the cucumber salts, a lot of moisture will come out.
Place it in a strainer and rinse under running water to wash away some of the saltiness...
Squeeze out the moisture using a clean dry dishcloth or paper towels.
Combine all the seasoning ingredients in the specified amounts and mix well. (If you do not like fish sauce, adjust the seasoning with regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) and salt.)
Add the garlic chives, salted cucumber, and seasoning, then toss gently to finish.
Ppunwife's tips
- You can use pre-minced garlic, but mincing whole garlic with the tip of a knife gives you a much better texture to enjoy.
- Keep the chilled cucumber salad in the refrigerator before serving so it stays cool and refreshing.
- It is also great served alongside grilled meat.
FAQ
What should I do if I find the flavor or smell of fish sauce too strong?
If you do not prefer fish sauce, you can season the dish with regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) and salt instead.
Can I omit the red chili pepper from the garlic sauce for the chilled cucumber salad?
If you want to avoid spicy heat, you can safely leave out the red chili pepper.
Can I use the chilled cucumber salad sauce in other dishes?
Yes, this garlic sauce can also be used as dressing for chilled jellyfish salad (haepari naengchae).
How can I enjoy the chilled cucumber salad even colder?
Keep the cucumber salad in the refrigerator and take it out to eat once it is thoroughly chilled.
