Cucumber is one of the vegetables that people either love or hate. I think that the refreshing flavor of cucumber can be part of the reason. Depending on the way you eat the cucumber, the refreshing flavor can easily turn into an unpleasant watery veggie flavor. That case in particular can happen to some of Korean cucumber sides. When you make a fresh cucumber side using Korean seasoning ingredients, it tastes wonderful right after you make the side. But, later, the texture and flavor of the cucumber changes, and it is not that great. So, today, I will share a Korean cucumber side-dish called 오이 생채 무침 (OI SaengChae MuChim) in Korean. You can enjoy this even after keeping it in the refrigerator for days with my special tip.
Yield: 1 Cup
Short Korean Lesson
- YangBo (양보) = Concession
- BaeRyeo (배려) = Consideration
Video Instructions
Main Ingredients:
- ½ lb Seedless Cucumber (½ tsp Salt)
- 1 Tbsp Hot Pepper Paste
- ½ Tbsp Hot Pepper Powder
- 1 Tbsp Green Onion
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- ½ tsp Garlic, Minced
- ½ tsp Fish Sauce
Directions
Peel about ½ lb of seedless cucumbers.
Cut the cucumber into 3 inch lengths.
Cut all parts except the soft part in the middle into strips about ⅛ inch thick.
Don’t throw away the middle part, just eat it. 😉
Put the cucumber and ½ tsp of salt in a bowl.
Marinate the cucumbers with salt for about 20-30 minutes until they are soft.
After 20 minutes, wrap the pickled cucumbers in a cotton cloth or cheese cloth.
Squeeze the cucumbers to remove as much water as possible.
After squeezing, the cucumbers have a soft and a slightly chewy texture. Put the cucumbers in a bowl. This salting and squeezing process is the secret tip for getting a great cucumber texture for this side.
Season the cucumber with 1 Tbsp hot pepper paste, ½ Tbsp hot pepper powder, 1 Tbsp finely chopped green onion, 1 tsp sesame seeds, ½ tsp minced garlic, and ½ tsp fish sauce.
Mix everything well, and this side is done.
Simply mix this cucumber side with freshly cooked rice, fried eggs, crushed seasoned dried laver (optional), and little bit of sesame oil. Then, you can make a very quick and delicious BiBimBap. Keep this side in the refrigerator for over a week and enjoy. Thanks. 🙂
We love this recipe! House hold favorite.
I love it too, Sarah. 🙂 hehe thanks