I’m going to share a super simple recipe with you today that’s one of my all time favorites. It’s a spicy Korean cucumber side dish called oi-muchim. If you have a nice seedless English cucumber, you can make this delicious banchan in just a few minutes. During my round the world Gapshida trip to meet my readers in 2011, I made this dish almost everywhere I went. Everybody loved it. Who wouldn’t like cold, fresh, crispy, seasoned cucumber? Each bite is succulent and wonderful!
Oi means “cucumber” in English, and muchim means “mixed” or “seasoned,” so many people simply call this dish “seasoned cucumber”. Many Koreans have their own version of it, so you’ll find many variations from family to family. This one is mine, and I’ve been using it for a long time. It’s also one of the dishes in my cookbook.
A major tip for this recipe is to make it and mix it just before serving, which will keep it crisp and fresh and prevent it from getting watery. It’s perfectly for a summertime BBQ – refreshing and just spicy enough to give you a little kick!
Enjoy the recipe! Let me know if you make it!
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 English cucumber (or 2 to 3 kirby cucumbers), washed
- ¼ cup thinly sliced onion
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Directions
- Cut the cucumber lengthwise in half and cut diagonally into thin slices.
- Put the cucumber into a large bowl. Add the onion, green onion, garlic, soy sauce, hot pepper flakes, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and sugar.
- Mix it well with a spoon until the sugar is well dissolved.
- Serve as a side dish for rice, noodles, or BBQ.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2015 at 2:39 pm.
Last updated on May 1, 2015.
Tagged: banchan, cucumber kimchi, 오이무침, Korean cooking, Korean cucumber salad recipe, korean food, Korean spicy cucumber salad banchan, oi-moochim, oimuchim, seasoned cucumber, side dish, spicy cucumber salad, spicy Korean cucumber salad, Spicy Korean cucumber side dish, vegetarian dish
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thank you!
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This is my new favorite way to use cucumbers!
I will be trying this out soon. Looks delish and is very healthy. Am following Maangchi and I’m here in Canada.
Been craving for this since I came back from Korea! Gladly I have been following you even before I went to Korea so I remembered you have lots of recipes. I tried this one and it was amazing! It was easy to follow. Perfect for the hot weather in the Philippines! Mine doesn’t look like yours but I will try again next time to make it look better hahaha
I found this recipe today and decided to make it for dinner. IT WAS AMAZING! My sister and I fought over the last bite. I plan on making this for Father’s Day lunch this weekend. Thank you for another awesome recipe!!
Dear Maangchi
I like this recipe so much and very easy to make.
I made a big portion and kept inside the fridge for a week but the cucumber still very crunchy. Yummy!
Thanks for sharing.
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It looks mouthwatering!
Thank you so much for these recipes. I have lived in Korea since 2010, but it wasn’t until I started dating my husband, I knew that I would have to learn how to cook Korean food. We’ve only been married a couple of months, but these recipes are easy to follow, and so far I haven’t had any kitchen accidents.
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hi..
i was wondering if this cucumber sallad can be put in the fridge for long time?
The taste will be more fermented and “sour” as it progresses, but I know you can keep it in the fridge for at least a week or two (possibly even longer) – as long as you eat it clean; don’t eat it straight from the batch (ie. don’t let your saliva touch it). But I’m not 100% sure if it keeps for months like kim chi. I always prefer my kim chi and Oi-muchim freshly made, maybe 1 or 2 days old tops.
Such a great dish, Maangchi! I like this almost as much as Oi-sobagi. Almost, but Oi-sobagi is my fave!
I also added thinly sliced lobak radish. Yum!
Thank you maangchi! Love the combination of the taste in this simple dish. Will definitely put this in my table frequently.
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I bought some baby cucumbers yesterday and decided to try this dish (since with normal Spanish cucumber it would be impossible). I love it! Simple, aromatic and refreshing. Thanks again for the recipe. ^_^
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Hi Maangchi,
I had a lot of Korean ingredients handy so I decided to make Oi-muchim for my family of 4 with your recipe. Needless to say, the whole thing was devoured within 10 minutes!
Love the refreshing taste of cucumbers with the mix of ingredients and a spicy kick of gochugaru!
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Your oi-muchim looks like mine! : ) yum!