Oi Muchim (Korean Marinated Cucumber Banchan)

These marinated Korean cucumbers are tart, spicy, and just a touch sweet. You may not want dill pickles again.

By
Sunny Lee
Sunny Lee

Sunny Lee is a Brooklyn-based chef who has worked at Blue Hill, Eleven Madison Park, Estela, Battersby, and Insa. When she isn't contributing to Serious Eats, she moonlights as a freelance private chef. Sunny attended the Culinary Institute of America.

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Updated March 29, 2023

Why It Works

  • Tossing sliced cucumbers with salt, sugar, and gochugaru seasons them while also drawing out natural moisture.
  • Draining and squeezing out excess moisture from the cucumbers allows them to absorb the simple, bright dressing.
  • This banchan can be made in advance, making it a perfect side dish for entertaining or as a refreshing alternative to classic dill pickles for a sandwich accompaniment.

Whether you're chowing down on burgers, a Sichuan feast, or American or Korean barbecue, most heavy meals benefit from some bright and fresh vegetables to offset all of that richness. And when it comes to palate-cleansing vegetables, it's hard to beat the refreshing crunch of cucumbers.

A small bowl of Korean marinated cucumber banchan.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Oi muchim is a Korean banchan that shows off the best attributes of cukes. Thick slices of cucumber are massaged with salt, sugar, and gochugaru (Korean chile flakes) to season them and draw out the vegetable's natural moisture content. The cucumbers are set aside to drain, then squeezed to get rid of excess water before getting tossed with a simple dressing of sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and garlic. These marinated cucumbers hold on to the crunch and succulence of fresh raw vegetables, but pick up heat from the gochugaru along with salinity and acidity from the dressing, giving classic pickled cukes a serious run for their money.

February 2020

Recipe Details

Oi Muchim (Korean Marinated Cucumber Banchan)

Prep 5 mins
Active 5 mins
Salting Time 30 mins
Total 35 mins
Serves 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 Persian cucumbers (about 10 1/2 ounces; 300g), sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

  • 1 tablespoon (8g) coarse ground gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (6g) kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon (5g) sugar

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) unseasoned rice wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) fish sauce

  • 1 medium clove garlic (5g), finely minced or grated

  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) toasted sesame oil

  • 1 tablespoon (10g) toasted sesame seeds

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine cucumbers, gochugaru, salt, and sugar. Using clean hands, massage cucumbers, squeezing and tossing them with seasoning, until cucumber is well-coated on all sides and begins to release liquid and color of gochugaru brightens to vibrant orange-red, about 1 minute.

  2. Transfer cucumbers to a colander, then set colander inside bowl used to season cucumbers. Cut a round of parchment paper large enough to cover surface of cucumbers, and place over cucumbers. Then place a weight on top of parchment to press down on cucumbers (canned goods, a cast iron skillet, a mixing bowl filled with water, or a Chef's Press all make for good weights). Set aside to drain for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

  3. Meanwhile, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and garlic. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in sesame oil until emulsified.

  4. Once cucumbers have drained, remove weight and discard parchment paper. Using clean hands, squeeze cucumbers to get rid of excess moisture, then transfer to bowl with dressing; discard accumulated cucumber liquid. Toss cucumbers with dressing until well-coated all over, about 30 seconds. Add sesame seeds and toss to combine. Divide between small individual serving bowls and serve, or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Special Equipment

Colander, parchment paper, Chef's Press (optional)

Make-Ahead and Storage

The marinated cucumbers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
157 Calories
15g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories 157
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 418mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 47mg 4%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 176mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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