Fresh Buchu Oi Muchim (Cucumber and Chive Salad) Without Salting
A quick side dish made by tossing fresh cucumber lightly in a fish sauce dressing without any prior salting.
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 salad skips the salting step, letting you toss everything immediately to preserve crisp texture and freshness. Mixing the regular soy sauce and sand lance fish sauce dressing in advance and gently tossing the vegetables helps prevent raw, grassy flavors. It makes an appetizing, quick everyday side dish to accompany any meal.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Cucumber1
- Garlic chives (buchu)50 g
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp
- Sand lance fish sauce1/2 tbsp
- Vinegar1 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1/2 tbsp
- Thinly sliced onion also works wonderfully in place of the garlic chives.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Prepare 1 white cucumber and 50 g of garlic chives.
Slice the vegetables
Wash the cucumber, split it lengthwise in half, and slice it diagonally into thick pieces for a good crunch.
Cut the garlic chives to match the length of the cucumber slices.
Trim off any messy stem tips; you can save them to toss into doenjang soup or jjigae.
Mix the seasoning
Add all seasoning ingredients and mix well.
For seasoned salads made with greens like garlic chives that easily turn grassy, preparing the dressing ahead so the flavors meld and then gently tossing the vegetables keeps everything crisp and fresh without any harsh green taste.
Toss the salad
Add the sliced garlic chives and cucumber, then toss gently.
Adjust any lacking seasoning with salt, tweak the sugar or vinegar to your taste, and finish.
Complete
This ultra-simple buchu oi muchim is quickly done.
The cucumber is crisp and refreshing, and spring garlic chives are tender and fresh, making them perfect for a quick salad-style dish.
You start eating this as a side dish with rice, but it is so savory that you end up mixing it right into the rice.
The aroma of garlic chives combined with the crisp crunch of thick-cut cucumber makes every bite delightfully refreshing.
Ppunwife's tips
- For seasoned salads made with greens like garlic chives that easily turn grassy, preparing the dressing ahead so the flavors meld and then gently tossing the vegetables keeps everything crisp and fresh without any harsh green taste.
FAQ
Is there an ingredient I can substitute for the garlic chives?
Thinly sliced onion works very well as a substitute for garlic chives.
Is there a trick to tossing garlic chives without getting a grassy flavor?
Mix the seasoning ingredients together beforehand, then add the vegetables and toss gently to keep the salad fresh and free of harsh grassy notes.
What should I add if the seasoning feels light after tossing?
Adjust the saltiness with a little salt, and adjust the amount of sugar or vinegar to suit your preference.
