Crispy and Delicious Pickled Cucumber Salad (Oiji Muchim)
Crispy and Delicious Pickled Cucumber Salad (Oiji Muchim)
Baek Jong-won’s Pickled Cucumber Jangajji Muchim: Simple and Tasty Lunchbox Side Dish & Banchan Recipe
Let’s learn how to easily and deliciously make a crispy pickled cucumber salad, perfect for when you have a lack of appetite. This oiji muchim, with its chewy texture and sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, is truly a rice thief!
Main Ingredients- 1 Pickled Cucumber (Oiji, approx. 200g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Today, we’re going to make a pickled cucumber salad (Oiji Muchim) that will revive even a lost appetite, with its wonderfully crisp texture! It’s the perfect side dish for meals or for packing in a lunchbox.
Step 2
First, rinse the pickled cucumbers (oiji) thoroughly under running water. Trim off the ends and slice them into bite-sized pieces (about 0.5cm thick half-moons or thin strips). After slicing, gently squeeze out as much moisture as possible by massaging them with your hands a few times. This ensures the seasoning gets absorbed well and maintains the crispiness. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, or the cucumbers might become mushy.
Step 3
Finely chop the green onions. In a bowl, combine the squeezed pickled cucumbers and chopped green onions. Add the seasoning ingredients: 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, 1 tablespoon of oligodang (or mulyeot), a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. Gently mix everything together with your hands, like you’re ‘jo-mol jo-mol’ (massaging). Be gentle so you don’t break the cucumbers.
Step 4
Once all the ingredients are well combined with the seasoning, your delicious pickled cucumber salad is ready! It’s tasty right away, but for an even richer flavor, try chilling it in the refrigerator for a little while so the seasoning can meld further. Enjoy your meal with this sweet, sour, and spicy oiji muchim!
