Oi Muchim
Spicy cucumber salad with gochugaru, garlic, and sesame.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 3 Cucumber
- 1 tbsp Gochugaru
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)
Method
- Thinly slice the cucumbers and salt them to drain for a few minutes.
- Mince the garlic and whisk it with gochugaru, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar.
- Squeeze the cucumber and toss with the dressing.
- Finish with sesame seeds and serve cold.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Oi Muchim
Oi Muchim is a Korean spicy cucumber salad, one of the quick banchan, the little side dishes that populate a Korean table. The word muchim refers to something seasoned and tossed by hand, and that is exactly what happens here: sliced cucumbers dressed with gochugaru, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a touch of sugar. It is a fresh, raw preparation meant to be made and eaten quickly, providing crunch and heat against richer, cooked dishes.
The flavor is bright and punchy, the cool cucumber crunch carrying garlicky, tangy, gently sweet heat from the gochugaru, all rounded out by the toasty aroma of sesame oil and seeds. It wakes up the palate. It belongs on the table beside grilled meats, rice, and stews, or simply as a light, cooling salad on its own. The one step that keeps it crisp is salting the sliced cucumbers to draw out excess water and then squeezing them before dressing, so the salad stays crunchy and the dressing clings instead of turning watery.
Oi Muchim: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Oi Muchim?
One serving of Oi Muchim has about 87 calories, with 2g of protein, 12g of carbs, 4g of fat and 2g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Oi Muchim gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Oi Muchim has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Oi Muchim take to make?
About 12 minutes start to finish, but only around 6 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Oi Muchim?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out sesame seeds — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Oi Muchim make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.