Crispy Oi Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Cucumber) for Banchan
A light vegetable side dish made by quickly stir-frying salted cucumbers over high heat to preserve their crisp texture.
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 squeezes salted cucumbers tightly and stir-fries them briefly over high heat to highlight their signature crunchy texture. Minced garlic aroma and spicy Cheongyang chili pepper add a clean, refreshing flavor.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Cook time
- 2 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- White cucumber2
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Salt1 tbsp
Seasoning
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- Add 1 tbsp of salt, mix well, and let pickle for about 20 minutes.
- If you do not like spicy food, you can omit the chili pepper.
- Stir-frying it with ground beef makes a wonderful main-dish side, so feel free to check your fridge and try it.
- I used sugar to remove moisture since I plan to add this to gimbap, but stir-frying with corn syrup makes it pleasantly moist.
Steps
Slice the ingredients
Prepare 2 white cucumbers and Cheongyang chili pepper. Rub and wash the cucumbers under running water.
If you do not like spicy food, you can omit the chili pepper.
Slice the ingredients
Slice the cucumbers into round coins about 2–3 mm thick.
Finely mince the Cheongyang chili pepper.
Salt the cucumbers
Salt the cucumbers
Add 1 tbsp of salt, mix well, and let pickle for about 20 minutes.
They will soften gently and release a lot of water.
Taste to see if the cucumbers are properly seasoned, then squeeze out the water.
Squeeze firmly using a cloth or your hands until you can feel that crunchy texture.
Separate any cucumber slices that are clumped together.
Stir-fry
Stir-fry
Heat a pan, add cooking oil, and stir-fry 1 tbsp of minced garlic without burning until fragrant.
Add the cucumbers, Cheongyang chili pepper, and 1/2 tbsp of sugar, then raise the heat to high and stir-fry quickly for around 2 minutes while stirring constantly.
Once the cucumbers turn translucent and glossy, taste and adjust the salt or sugar to your liking.
Turn off the heat, add 1/2 tbsp of toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds, and toss to combine.
Spread them out on a plate to cool slightly so the cucumbers do not discolor.
Ppunwife's tips
- Squeeze firmly using a cloth or your hands until you can feel that crunchy texture.
- Spread them out on a plate to cool slightly so the cucumbers do not discolor.
FAQ
Can I make it less spicy?
If you cannot eat spicy food well or are making it for children, simply omit the Cheongyang chili pepper.
Is it okay to use corn syrup instead of sugar?
Stir-frying with corn syrup adds moisture, yielding a noticeably juicier finish.
Is there a trick to keeping the stir-fried cucumbers vividly colored?
Spreading them out broadly on a plate to cool down right after cooking keeps them from discoloring.
