Name: Korean Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 16 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 1 cucumber; 1/4 onion ((25 g / 0.9 ounces)); 1 Tbsp rock salt (or Korean coarse sea salt); 1 Tbsp Korean chili flakes ((gochugaru)); 1 tsp white vinegar ((or rice vinegar)); 1 tsp white sugar; 1 tsp minced garlic; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

spicy Korean cucumber salad (Oi Muchim) recipe. It’s a perfect side dish for spring and summer weather. It gives you a little zing in your tastebuds!

Korean cucumber salad (Oi Muchim, 오이무침) is my spring & summer time favourite dish. The smell of cucumber is always light and refreshing and its spicy, slightly sweet and tangy flavour gives you a little zing in your tastebuds, so it helps return your lost appetite, particularly in hot summer weather. Intrigued?

As the cucumber naturally contains a lot of moisture, it is recommended that you only make this just before you serve your meal (no earlier than 15 mins) otherwise it doesn’t taste as nice (it can get a bit too mushy). – This is how I learnt during my home economics class.

However, my favourite way of eating this salad goes slightly beyond this time limit. I will share my secret way of enjoying it in the recipe section, so be sure to check it out.

I hope you enjoy my recipe. It’s very easy and quick to make and it is such a great companion dish to your Korean BBQ or really any other Korean main dish. 😉

P.S If you like this recipe, you might like to try these cucumber recipes! Cucumber Kimchi and Korean Cucumber Side Dish

Ingredients for Korean Cucumber Salad (Serves 4)

(Preparation: 16 mins, Cooking: 2 mins)

1 Cucumber (145g, 5.1 ounces): I used Lebanese cucumber. Korean cucumber or other cucumbers that are suitable for pickling or salad can be used.
1/4 onion (25g, 0.9 ounces)
1 Tbsp rock salt (or Korean coarse salt)
Seasoning sauce (mix these in a small bowl)
- 1 Tbsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tsp white vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sesame seeds

*1 Tbsp = 15 ml

**If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my 30 essential Korean cooking ingredients list!

How to Make Korean Cucumber Salad

1. Rinse the cucumber thoroughly in cold running water. Discard both ends of the cucumber. Thinly (about 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) thickness) slice the cucumber and put them into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and lightly mix them together. Leave it for 15 mins.

2. While waiting, thinly slice the onion. Prepare the seasoning sauce by mixing them all together.

3. 15 mins later, rinse the cucumber in cold running water (any remaining salt in the mixing bowl should be discarded) and drain the water out using a strainer. Pat dry the cucumber thoroughly with kitchen paper. Put them into a clean and dry mixing bowl.

4. Add the sliced onion and the seasoning sauce. Mix them lightly but thoroughly with your hand (You will want to wear a food prep glove).

5. Put the seasoned cucumber into a sealed glass container and keep it in the fridge for 30 mins to chill then serve. Enjoy!

Notes:

It can be served at a room temperature, but I think it tastes better when it’s slightly chilled.
It should be consumed on the day you make this. Otherwise, there will be too much water in the salad.
This salad is spicier than average Kimchi, in my opinion. Particularly, you will taste the spice kick in just after making it. However, while it’s chilling in the fridge for 30 mins, the cucumber will start to release the water and it will dilute the spiciness slightly. Personally, I really like this state of the cucumber. It’s chilled just right, still crunchy and also seasoned just right. But of course, if you can’t handle this level of spiciness, you might want to reduce the chilli powder and season it with fine sea salt.