Crispy & Tangy Cucumber Salad with Chives (Baek Jong-won Style)
Crispy & Tangy Cucumber Salad with Chives (Baek Jong-won Style)
A Refreshing National Side Dish: Baek Jong-won’s Cucumber Salad! Enhance your meal with added onion and chives.
Introducing a Baek Jong-won style cucumber salad featuring a delightful spicy and sweet gochujang (red chili paste) dressing. This dish is a perfect accompaniment to rice, thanks to its rich and savory gochujang base. We’ve added crisp onion and fragrant chives to enhance the texture and flavor of the classic cucumber salad. The soy sauce and sesame oil quantities from the original Baek Jong-won recipe have been slightly reduced, and the vinegar can be adjusted to your taste for a perfect balance. Let’s get started!
Main Ingredients- 1 cucumber
- 1/2 onion
- A handful of chives
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt (for salting cucumber)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2/3 Tbsp soy sauce (approx. 1 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp vinegar (adjust to taste)
- 2/3 Tbsp sesame oil (approx. 1 Tbsp)
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, it’s important to wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Gently scrub the cucumber skins with coarse salt. Then, instead of peeling entirely with a peeler, create a striped pattern by peeling off some of the skin. This adds visual appeal and a better texture. Finally, rinse them under running water.
Step 2
Trim off the bitter ends of the cucumber. Slice the cucumber into pieces about 8mm thick to maintain a crisp texture. Slicing them too thinly can make them mushy, so aim for a good thickness.
Step 3
Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl and add 1/2 tsp of coarse salt. Gently massage the cucumbers with your hands, being careful not to mash them, ensuring the salt is evenly distributed. This process draws out excess moisture, making the cucumbers extra crunchy.
Step 4
Let the salted cucumbers sit for about 10 minutes to salt them. Gently toss them once or twice in between to ensure even salting. While the cucumbers are salting, you can prepare the other ingredients to save time.
Step 5
While the cucumbers are salting, let’s prepare the onion and chives. Dice the 1/2 onion into pieces similar in size to the cucumber slices, about 8mm thick. This creates a pleasant texture when eaten together.
Step 6
Cut the chives into similar lengths. While the onion and chives are optional ingredients in this recipe, they significantly enhance the flavor and aroma of the cucumber salad. It’s delicious without them, but try adding them if you can!
Step 7
After 10 minutes, do not rinse the salted cucumbers. Instead, gently pat them dry with a paper towel or a clean kitchen cloth to remove excess water. This helps maintain the cucumber’s crispness while allowing the dressing to adhere well.
Step 8
Add 1 Tbsp of sugar to the patted-dry cucumbers and mix well. Adding sugar first allows it to slightly penetrate the cucumbers, enhancing the overall savory flavor of the dressing. Then, add the diced onion and mix everything together evenly.
Step 9
Now, add all the dressing ingredients and mix thoroughly again. Combine the gochujang, gochugaru, minced garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar, mixing well. The basic amount of vinegar is 2 Tbsp, but if you prefer a tangier taste, you can add an extra tablespoon or reduce it to suit your preference. It’s important to adjust it to your liking.
Step 10
Finally, add the prepared chives and 2/3 Tbsp of sesame oil, and toss gently to complete your delicious cucumber salad! Chives wilt easily, so it’s best to add them at the very end and mix them lightly. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. This dish is so tasty, it might just make you finish your rice in no time!
