Crunchy Nogak Muchim (Seasoned Old Cucumber)
A refreshing summer side dish made by salting, sugaring, and vinegar-pickling overripe cucumber, squeezing out the moisture thoroughly, and tossing it in a sweet, tangy, and spicy seasoning.
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 →
The key secret is to prep-pickle the overripe cucumber in salt, sugar, and vinegar to thoroughly draw out moisture. Because excess liquid does not pool around the dish, its distinctively crunchy texture stays crisp until the very last bite. Tossed in a sweet, tangy, and spicy seasoning, it makes a wonderful appetite-boosting summer banchan.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Overripe cucumber (nogak)700 g (after cleaning)
- Salt1 tbsp
- Sugar2 tbsp
- Vinegar3 tbsp
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1/2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Minced green onion2 tbsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Salta little
- Toasted sesame oil1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- When you trim both ends of a roughly 1 kg overripe cucumber, peel the skin, slice it in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and soft pith with a spoon, you will get about 700 g of prepped cucumber.
Steps
Prep and slice the cucumber
Here is an overripe cucumber weighing about 1 kg.
Trim off both ends and peel the skin.
Cut it in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and soft core with a spoon, and slice it to about 0.5 cm thick.
After prepping it like this, the overripe cucumber weighs about 700 g.
Pickle and squeeze out moisture
Add 1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp sugar, and 3 tbsp vinegar to the sliced cucumber...
Mix evenly.
Because nogak muchim easily draws out water even after it is finished, doing a first pickling with sweet and tangy liquid seasonings draws out the moisture beforehand so that almost no liquid forms once dressed.
It also drains the cucumber's water thoroughly, giving it a much better texture.
Leave it for at least 20 minutes, and the cucumber will become soft and pliable while releasing a lot of liquid.
Squeeze it out thoroughly with a cheesecloth or your hands, just like wringing out pickled cucumbers.
Season and toss
Add 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) to the cucumber and toss to coat it with a vibrant red color.
Add the remaining seasonings—1/2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste), 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, and 2 tbsp minced green onion—and toss gently with your hands.
I felt it needed a bit more seasoning, so I adjusted it by adding 1 tsp sugar and a little salt.
You can add more vinegar to taste.
Finish by adding 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and tossing together.
Done
This is my first time making nogak muchim this year.
When you dress overripe cucumber this way, a delightfully crunchy texture and fresh aroma burst in your mouth.
It takes a bit more effort than regular cucumber salad, but it is a charming summer side dish unique to overripe cucumber.
Ppunwife's tips
- In the 1st salting step, adding vinegar and sugar in advance for sweet and sour flavor along with salt removes the moisture, which keeps almost no water from pooling after tossing and gives it a better texture.
- You can add more vinegar according to your taste.
FAQ
How do I keep it from turning watery after tossing?
If you do a first pickling with sugar and vinegar along with salt, leave it for at least 20 minutes, and squeeze out the released moisture thoroughly by hand or with a cheesecloth before seasoning, almost no liquid will form.
How thick should the overripe cucumber be sliced?
After splitting it in half and scooping out the seeds and soft core, slice it to around 0.5 cm thick for the best texture after pickling.
How can I adjust the flavor if I want a more tangy taste?
When mixing in the seasonings, simply add more vinegar to taste.
Why add the gochugaru before the other seasonings?
Tossing the squeezed cucumber with gochugaru first coats the surface with a vibrant, even red color.
