Oi Doraji Chomuchim (Sweet and Sour Cucumber Bellflower)
A side dish of salted cucumbers and debittered bellflower root tossed in a sweet, tangy, and spicy vinegar-gochujang 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 side dish pairs bellflower root, debittered with sugar and salt, with salted cucumbers tossed in a sweet and sour dressing. Making the seasoning ahead lets the flavors develop a deep savoriness, and squeezing the vegetables completely dry maximizes their crisp texture.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Bellflower root (doraji)150 g
- Cucumber1
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 1/2 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)2 tbsp
- Vinegar2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1/2 tbsp
- Add 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp salt, and a little water, then rub firmly with your hands to remove the bitterness before rinsing several times in clear water and squeezing dry tightly.
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, slice it to about 0.3 to 0.4 cm thick, add 1/2 tbsp salt, and let it pickle for about 30 minutes.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients and make the dressing
This is peeled bellflower root (doraji) trimmed to a suitable thickness. Cucumber also goes well in sweet and sour salads, so I prepared one.
For the seasoning, add and mix 1+1/2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste), 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp corn syrup (mulyeot), 1/2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tbsp minced garlic.
If you make the seasoning in advance, the color of the gochugaru becomes pretty and all the ingredients blend together to give a deep, delicious flavor.
Debitter the bellflower root
Bellflower root has a lot of bitterness, so you need to remove it. Add 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp salt, and a little water, then rub it firmly with your hands.
The bellflower root softens as the bitterness is drawn out.
Rinse several times in clean water to wash away the remaining salt, then squeeze the moisture out tightly.
When making stir-fried bellflower root (doraji namul bokkeum), rub it with salt, and then add sugar while stir-frying to remove any remaining bitterness.
Salt the cucumber
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and slice it to a moderate thickness of about 0.3 to 0.4 cm, which keeps a good texture once seasoned.
Add 1/2 tbsp salt.
Mix well and let pickle for about 30 minutes.
Rinse once in water and squeeze out the moisture tightly. Squeezing it as dry as possible gives it a crunchy bite just like pickled cucumbers (oiji).
Toss together
Add the bellflower root, cucumber, and the prepared dressing, then add toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds and toss gently by hand to finish.
Adjust the sweetness or vinegar to your taste.
Ppunwife's tips
- Making the dressing ahead of time gives the chili flakes a vibrant color and lets all the ingredients meld together for a deeper, richer flavor.
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and slice it to about 0.3 to 0.4 cm thick so it keeps a crisp bite when tossed.
- Rinsing the cucumber in water and squeezing out as much moisture as possible gives it a crunchy texture like pickled cucumber.
- Cucumbers tend to release a lot of water when tossed in a salad, but salting them first prevents excess water from pooling.
FAQ
How do you remove the bitterness from bellflower root?
Add 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp salt, and a little water, rub vigorously with your hands, rinse several times in clean water, and squeeze out the moisture tightly.
Is there a recommended thickness for slicing the cucumber?
Cut it in half lengthwise and slice to about 0.3 to 0.4 cm thick so it stays pleasantly crisp after being salted and tossed.
How do you keep too much water from forming after tossing?
Salt the cucumbers for 30 minutes, rinse them in water, and squeeze out the moisture as firmly as possible before tossing to keep liquid from pooling.
