Summer Delight! Crispy and Refreshing Cold Cucumber Soup Recipe
Perfect for Appetiteless Days! Flavorful and Zesty Cold Cucumber Soup
Cucumbers are a fantastic food for aiding detoxification and promoting urination, helping to reduce swelling and cleanse your blood by removing impurities and vascular waste. Today, we’ll be making a wonderfully refreshing and cool cold cucumber soup that’s perfect for those times when your appetite is lacking. This soup boasts a clear, clean taste that makes it an ideal summer delicacy. Let’s beat the heat with this revitalizing dish!
Core Ingredients for Cold Cucumber Soup
- 1 fresh cucumber
- 1/2 crisp yellow bell pepper (for color)
- 5 cups cold water (approx. 1L)
- 1 cup ice cubes (adjust to your preference)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the cucumber thoroughly under running water. Thinly julienning the cucumber with a knife is the first step to achieving a delightful texture in your cold cucumber soup. Aim for thin and uniform strips for the best results.
Step 2
If julienning by hand is challenging, using a mandoline slicer is a great alternative. A mandoline will allow you to cut the cucumber into fine, even strips much more quickly, saving you valuable time in the kitchen.
Step 3
For the yellow bell pepper, remove the stem and the white pith from the inside. Then, julienne it into thin, short strips, similar to the cucumber. This will add a beautiful color and an extra layer of crispiness to your cold cucumber soup.
Step 4
In a bowl with the julienned cucumber, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for soup (Guk-ganjang) and 2 teaspoons of minced garlic. Gently mix them together to season the cucumber. This seasoning step helps to reduce any slight bitterness from the cucumber and enhances its overall savory flavor.
Step 5
Let the seasoned cucumber rest for about 10 minutes, allowing it to naturally release some of its juices. Don’t discard these juices! They will form the flavorful base of your cold cucumber soup broth.
Step 6
In a large bowl, pour in 5 cups of cold water. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 4 tablespoons of lemon vinegar (or regular vinegar), and 2/3 tablespoon of sea salt. Whisk with a whisk or spoon until all the seasonings are completely dissolved. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and salt to suit your personal taste preferences for a perfectly balanced flavor. Then, add the seasoned cucumber strips and julienned bell pepper to the broth.
Step 7
Finally, add the finely chopped Cheongyang pepper for a touch of heat, if you like. (You can omit this if you prefer not to have any spice.) Now, generously add 1 cup of ice cubes to make it wonderfully chilled. For a final flourish and visual appeal, sprinkle a pinch of black sesame seeds over the top. Your refreshing cold cucumber soup is ready!
Step 8
And there you have it – a crispy, refreshing, and mouth-watering cold cucumber soup! It’s delicious served over rice or simply enjoyed on its own for a cooling treat.
