Are you looking for something refreshing, light, healthy, and cold cold cold? Yes, how about a cold cucumber side dish? In Korean it’s called oi-naengguk and it’s perfect for summer! The thin cucumber matchsticks soaked in icy cold, sweet, sour, salty, and garlicky brine will please your appetite. The cold temperature is a nice surprise and the crispy but soft texture of the cucumber is wonderful.
A great thing about this side dish is that you can make it in 5 minutes, and you don’t need to cook anything at all. Just cut the ingredients and mix.
Make this in the summer time, and I guarantee everyone will love it. My cookbook co-writer, Lauren, learned how to make this when she was recipe testing, and got a ton of stars from her family when she served it. They are all fans of oi-naengguk now, and when the book was done Lauren told me it’s one of her favorite Korean dishes. I was surprised!
I originally posted an oi-naengguk video years ago, but this one is a little updated and is a vegetarian version, and the video is HD. If you’re looking for the old one, it’s still here.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 large English cucumber (12 ounces) or 2 to 3 kirby cucumbers, chilled
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh red chili pepper (optional)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons vinegar
- 5-6 cherry tomatoes, sliced (optional)
- 1 cup cold water
- 7-8 ice cubes (1 cup)
- 1- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, ground
Directions
- Cut the cucumber into 3 inch long thin matchsticks and put them into a chilled mixing bowl.
- Add garlic, green onion, and red chili pepper (if used).
- Add the salt, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Mix well, gently with a spoon until the salt and sugar are well dissolved.
- Add the water, ice cubes, and the sliced tomato (if you use), and gently mix with a spoon.
- Put the sesame seeds powder on top, scoop out 4 portions into individual bowls, and serve right away with rice.
Maangchi's Amazon picks for this recipe
It's always best to buy Korean items at your local Korean grocery store, but I know that's not always possible so I chose these products on Amazon that are good quality. See more about how these items were chosen.
