Oi Muchim (Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad)

Ingredients

• 500 g cucumber (sliced into rounds)
• 10 g salt (used for sweating the cucumbers)
• 50 g onion (optional, sliced)
• 2 tbsp Korean pepper flakes (gochugaru)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1.5 tbsp apple vinegar
• 0.5 tbsp garlic (minced)
• 0.5 tbsp Korean pepper paste (gochujang)
• 0.5 tbsp sesame seeds (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice 500g of cucumber into rounds.

2. 2

   Place the cucumber slices in a bowl and add 10g (1/2 tbsp) of salt. Toss well to coat.

3. 3

   Let the cucumbers sit for 5 to 10 minutes to sweat out excess moisture.

4. 4

   Drain and discard the liquid released by the cucumbers.

5. 5

   Add 2 tablespoons of pepper flakes (gochugaru), 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1/2 tablespoon of pepper paste (gochujang) to the cucumbers.

6. 6

   If using, add 50g of sliced onion to the bowl.

7. 7

   Mix everything together thoroughly until the cucumbers are evenly coated in the seasoning.

8. 8

   Finish by sprinkling 1/2 tablespoon of sesame seeds on top before serving.

Notes

The sliced onion is optional but adds extra flavor and texture. Sweating the cucumbers with salt is a critical step to ensure they stay crunchy and don't water down the sauce.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• side dish
• Korean
• spicy
• vegetarian
• easy
• no-cook