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    Home » Side Dishes

    Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Salad)

    Published 07/19/2010. Updated 02/21/2022

    Jump to Recipe

    You can make this Korean spicy cucumber salad with any crunchy cucumbers. It’ll add delicious spiciness to any Korean meal.

    DSC 0308 e1742779037524 - Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber  Salad)
     
    Oi muchim (오이무침) is a spicy cucumber salad. Oi means cucumber, and muchim means mixed with seasonings. It’s a simple side dish (banchan) you can make with any crunchy cucumbers, such as Korean cucumbers, pickling cucumbers (aka Kirby), Persian, English, Japanese cucumbers, etc. It’s delicious with any Korean meal and can be a quick kimchi substitute. 
     
    While any crunchy cucumbers are good for this dish, I personally love Korean cucumbers. They are bountiful in Korean markets around here in the summer. I’ve also been growing them in my backyard. Korean cucumbers are light in color, slender, and bumpy with thin skin. They are less seedy, very crispy and tasty. I might be a little biased, but I think they are the best of all cucumber varieties.
     
    oi muchim2 2 - Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber  Salad)
     

    How to make spicy cucumber salad

    To make oi muchim, lightly salt the cucumber slices first and let them stand for a while to draw out water. Drain off excess liquid. Cucumbers have a high water content, so removing excess moisture after salting keeps the dish from being too watery. The salting process gives the dish an extra crunch as well. Avoid squeezing and bruising the cucumbers for this dish. 
     
    Combine the cucumber slices with the seasoning ingredients, and mix well. It may look a little dry at this point, but the cucumber slices will continue to release water content. As always, taste a piece and adjust the seasonings as necessary. 

    Watch how to make it

    More cucumber recipes

    Oi kimchi (cucumber kimchi)
    Oi sobagi (stuffed cucumber kimchi)
    Oiji (Korean pickled cucumbers)
    Oi naengguk (chilled cucumber soup)
    Oi bokkeum (stir-fried cucumbers)

    DSC 0294 1 e1742779138542 - Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber  Salad)
     
    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
    DSC 0308 e1742779037524 300x300 - Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber  Salad)

    Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber Salad)

    4.62 from 276 votes
    Side Dish
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1 Korean cucumber or 2 Kirby pickling cucumbers
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon Korean red chili pepper flakes gochugaru (고추가루) – use less if desired
    • 1 tablespoon chopped scallion
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon vinegar
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

    Instructions

    • Thinly slice the cucumber (1/8 to 1/4-inch thick). Toss gently with salt and set aside for about 15 minutes.
      oi muchim1 e1527947038656 - Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber  Salad)
    • Drain excess liquid. Avoid squeezing them because they will bruise. Mix well with all of the remaining ingredients. Taste a little and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
      oi muchim3 1 e1527948505266 - Oi Muchim (Spicy Cucumber  Salad)
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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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