Spicy Cucumber & Onion Salad (Oi Muchim)
BANCHAN · NO FERMENTATION NEEDED
Spicy Cucumber & Onion Salad
(Oi Muchim)
A cool, crunchy, fire-red side dish you can make in ten minutes flat — all the flavor of kimchi, none of the wait.
Some days you want kimchi's punch of garlic, gochugaru, and vinegar, but you don't have a jar sitting around and you definitely don't have three days to wait for one to ferment. That's exactly the gap this salad fills. Cucumber and onion go in raw and come out ten minutes later tasting like they've been friends with a chili pepper their whole life — crisp, tangy, a little sweet, and just sharp enough to wake up a bowl of rice.
It's not traditional kimchi — think of it as kimchi's quick, no-commitment cousin. Perfect alongside grilled meat, a bowl of noodles, or anything that could use a bright, spicy crunch on the side.
Ingredients
- Cucumber, sliced 1 large English/Persian, or several small
- Onion, thinly sliced ½ onion, or to taste
- Salt ½ tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) 2 tbsp
- Plum extract (or sugar) 1½ tbsp
- Vinegar 1½ tbsp
- Minced garlic 1 tbsp
- Anchovy fish sauce 1½ tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 tbsp
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced cucumber and onion. Sprinkle with salt and gently mix. If you have the time, let it sit for 10–20 minutes to draw out extra moisture, then drain — this is what keeps the salad crisp instead of watery.
- Add the gochugaru and toss until every slice is evenly coated in red.
- Add the plum extract (or sugar), vinegar, anchovy fish sauce, and minced garlic. Mix well so the seasoning is distributed through the whole bowl.
- Finish with the sesame oil, give it one last toss, and serve.
Serving suggestion: Enjoy as a refreshing, spicy, crunchy banchan alongside rice, noodles, or any Korean meal. It's best eaten fresh, though it will keep in the fridge for a short time.
