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 salad 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 Korean hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons toasted 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, toasted 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.
I used to work at a Korean bbq and I miss their food all the time. I live in the Midwest so Korean bbq is very hard and expensive to come by. I’m so glad I’ve found this site to make these recipes. I always get a delight out of the joyful videos as well. These cucumbers are just as delicious as I hoped!
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Your oi-muchim looks so good! I make this side dish all the time, because it’s so easy to make a delicious.
I made this side dish today and it’s so delicious. Love that it’s so easy to make too❤️
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Maangchi, thank you for the delicious recipe! I was stationed in Korea in 1994-1995 (Sanju-ri). One of the things I cherish most from my time living there, aside from the people and culture, is the delicious food!! I sometimes share this experience with my family by finding recipes and making the dishes I enjoyed the most. We have several Korean restaurants in the area, all of which are fantastic but sometimes it is fun to make these wonderful dishes at home. Tonight, I made Galbi, Oi Muchim (your recipe) and rice. This was my first time making Galbi. It turned out really great but was made much better with the side dish made with your recipe! My son (15) loved all of it. Thank you, again!
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Annyeonghaseyo Maangchi
Kamsahamida for the recipe. Yummy delicious bachan.. 오이무침.
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It looks really refreshing and tasty!
I made it today and it‘s the perfect summer dish when served cold right from the fridge
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Yes! It looks so crispy and juicy!