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Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) Recipe – Easy Side Dish for Rice

Make authentic Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) with crisp cucumber sticks and a tangy, spicy sauce. A perfect side dish for rice or BBQ
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: korean
Calories: 287
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large cucumber 300 g – cut into 4 cm sticks, remove seeds
  • 1/2 onion 80 g – thinly sliced
  • Green onion 10 g – chopped
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Seasoning Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Korean chili flakes gochugaru
  • ½ tablespoon chilli paste gochujang
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • A pinch of toasted sesame seeds

Method
 

  1. Prepare cucumber sticks
  2. Slice off the center seeds to prevent excess water.
  3. Cut the cucumber into 4 cm long sticks.
  4. Thinly slice the onion
  5. chop the green onion
  6. In a bowl, Add cucumber sticks, onion, and green onion
  7. Add chili flakes, garlic, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
  8. Toss gently until coated.
  9. Garnish with extra sesame seeds if desired.
  10. Serve immediately for the freshest taste.

Notes

Cooking Tips for Oi Muchim

  1. Remove seeds for crunch – Taking out the cucumber seeds helps prevent extra water and keeps the salad crisp.
  2. Don’t overmix – Toss the cucumbers gently with the sauce. Overmixing makes them watery.
  3. Adjust the spice level. Reduce the chili flakes for a milder version. For extra heat, add a pinch of fresh chili or more gochugaru.
  4. Best eaten fresh – Oi Muchim tastes best right after making it. If you need to store it, keep it in the fridge and eat it within 1 day.
  5. Pairing idea – Serve with steamed rice, kimchi, or Korean BBQ (samgyeopsal, bulgogi). It also works well as a light salad on its own.
  6. Lower calorie option – Reduce sesame oil by half to reduce calories without losing too much flavour.