Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
By: Joe Mcpherson
Published: Monday, February 22, 2010 - 5:56pm

Ingredients




1 Cucumber, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
1 cup Water
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon Korean Chili Powder (Gochugaru)
1 teaspoon Korean Pepper Paste (Gochujang)
1 teaspoon Light Corn Syrup or Honey
1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
2 teaspoons Sesame Seeds, toasted

Preparation

1 Mix the cucumber with one teaspoon of sea salt and set aside. 2 Soak the onion slices with one tablespoon of rice vinegar and the water in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. 3 Rinse the salt off the cucumber and pat off the excess water. 4 Mix the garlic, chili powder, pepper paste, corn syrup or honey, and teaspoon of rice vinegar in a bowl. 5 Remove the onions from the water and add them to the dressing along with the cucumbers and toss. 6 Serve chilled.

About


I have said many times before that Korean food is very seasonal. I especially look forward to the summer dishes like tangy Mul Kimchi ("water kimchi"), Oi Seobaggi (Cucumber Kimchi), and all the bright cool summer dishes that refresh in the summer heat.
One of Eun Jeong's regular creations is a Spicy Cucumber Salad, Oi Muchim (오이 무침). I really love this stuff, and I can see it being the hit of any backyard BBQ.
Here's what to do:
Slice a seedless Cucumber and mix them with around a teaspoon of fine Sea Salt for fifteen minutes.
At the same time soak half an onion, very thinly sliced in a mixture of water and a tablespoon of rice vinegar in the refrigerator.
Rinse the cucumbers and set them aside.
Mix three cloves of crushed Garlic with 1 teaspoon of Gochugaru (Korean Chili Powder), 1 teaspoon of Gochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste), 1 teaspoon of Corn Syrup or Honey, 1 teaspoon of Rice Vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of toasted Sesame Seeds.
Mix and taste. Balance the flavors to your liking.
Drain the onions. Add the onions and cucumbers to the dressing.
Mix.
Serve chilled. The salad tastes best very, very cold.
Eun Jeong just made this now. I am quickly uploading the pictures and typing the recipe because she's already started eating. Gotta go!
UPDATE 08.13.2009: Justin from Justcook nyc made this and had some success.  Check it out!