Cucumber Muchim

Written By maddy

This cucumber muchim took over last summer as Logan’s sliced and shaken cucumbers went viral on tiktok. Well, before it was shaken in a deli cucumber, it’s always been a Korean banchan (side dish) that’s easy to make, healthy, and extends the life of your cucumbers that, for some reason, spoils pretty quickly even in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 pack (5-6) persian cucumbers (or, one large english cucumber)

2 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp gochugaru

1 Tbsp sugar (or honey)

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

(optional) drizzle of sesame oil

Recipe (to be stored in the fridge for 1 week)

  1. slice and toss the cucumbers in kosher salt, let it sweat for 20 minutes

  2. 20 minutes later, wash the excess salt from the cucumbers. taste a piece to see if it’s not too salty. if it is, keep rinising them in water. Then, drain the water. try to squeeze out all remaining water from the cucumbers (but not too hard that they break apart!).

  3. in a bowl, add the squeezed cucumbers, gochugaru, sugar, vinegar, garlic, sesame seeds and mix it in.

  4. use a spatula and mix in the seasoning by scraping the bottom of the bowl as if you’re “folding batter”, so the seasoning coats evenly without breaking the cucumbers

  5. or, wear gloves and massage the seasoning onto the cucumber slices

  6. salt to tase if needed

  7. enjoy as a side with rice, or anything you’d like! keep it in an airtight container, chilled for up to 1 week

Here are the steps by step instructions with photos!

slice and toss the cucumbers in kosher salt, let it sweat for 20 minutes

20 minutes later, wash the excess salt from the cucumbers. taste a piece to see if it’s not too salty. if it is, keep rinising them in water.

Then, drain the water. try to squeeze out all remaining water from the cucumbers (but not too hard that they break apart!).

in a bowl, add the squeezed cucumbers, gochugaru, sugar, vinegar, garlic, sesame seeds and mix it in.

use a spatula and mix in the seasoning by scraping the bottom of the bowl as if you’re “folding batter”, so the seasoning coats evenly without breaking the cucumbers. salt to tase if needed

enjoy as a side with rice, or anything you’d like! keep it in an airtight container, chilled for up to 1 week

maddy
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Potato Banchan