Stir-fried Fish Cakes
Stir-fried fish cakes (eomuk bokkeum 어묵볶음) made by sautéing onion, green onion, and minced garlic, then adding fish cakes and seasoning with oligosaccharide (olligodang 올리고당), sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds (kkaesogeum 깨소금), stir-frying over medium heat.
📝 Editor's Notes
This spicy cucumber salad (oimuchim 오이무침) recipe features diagonally sliced cucumbers seasoned with seasoned salt, minced garlic, tuna extract, gochugaru (고춧가루), sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and green onion, tossed together to create a spicy and crunchy side dish.
Its biggest advantage is that anyone can easily make it without special ingredients or complicated steps.
The savory tuna extract combined with the spiciness of gochugaru (고춧가루) perfectly stimulates the appetite.
It's an ideal dish, especially when you've lost your appetite due to the summer heat or when you want to add a refreshing touch to greasy foods.
It pairs wonderfully not only as a side dish for rice but also with refreshing noodles or bibimbap.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
Cucumbers are the most crucial ingredient, determining freshness and taste.
When choosing cucumbers, select ones that are straight, firm, glossy, and have intact prickly bumps.
Avoid bent, soft, or yellowed parts.
Tuna extract is a key seasoning that enhances the umami flavor of this recipe.
When purchasing commercial tuna extract, choose products with a high tuna content in the ingredient list and fewer unnecessary additives for a deeper flavor.
For green onions, using a mix of both green leaf and white stalk parts can enhance both aroma and color.
Fresh green onions should have vibrant green tips that are not dry.
🔄 Substitution Guide
Instead of tuna extract, you can use anchovy fish sauce (myeolchi aekjeot 멸치액젓).
Anchovy fish sauce offers a deeper, saltier umami flavor than tuna extract, but its fishy aroma can be stronger, so it's recommended to use a slightly reduced amount and add a little sugar to balance the taste.
Instead of gochugaru (고춧가루), you can add chopped Cheongyang chili peppers (cheongyang gochu 청양고추) for a cleaner and spicier kick.
However, the distinct red color of gochugaru (고춧가루) may be less prominent.
While whole sesame seeds can be used instead of toasted sesame seeds (kkaesogeum 깨소금), toasted sesame seeds provide a nuttier flavor and aroma and blend better with the seasoning.
If you have an allergy or dislike sesame, you can omit it, but the nutty flavor may be somewhat reduced.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most important cooking point for spicy cucumber salad is managing the cucumber's moisture.
Although this recipe doesn't include a separate salting step, lightly salting the diagonally sliced cucumbers with seasoned salt for 5-10 minutes to draw out excess water before tossing will help maintain their crisp texture for longer.
Be careful not to salt them for too long, as they might become tough.
Secondly, it's crucial not to add all the seasoning at once, but rather to add it gradually, tasting and adjusting as you go.
This is especially true for gochugaru (고춧가루) and tuna extract, which can be adjusted to personal preference.
Finally, when mixing all the ingredients, gently toss them by hand to ensure the seasoning is evenly absorbed, creating a deeper flavor.
Avoid kneading too vigorously, as it can mash the cucumbers; mix them gently.
👨🍳 Directions
Heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a pan, then add sliced onion and chopped green onion and stir-fry.
Add 1 tbsp of minced garlic and stir-fry, then pour in the sliced fish cakes (eomuk 어묵) directly from the cutting board.
Stir-fry all ingredients together, then add 1 tbsp of oligosaccharide (olligodang 올리고당), 1 tbsp of sugar, 1/3 cup of water, 3 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of sesame oil, and 1 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds (kkaesogeum 깨소금). Continue to stir-fry well over medium heat until everything is coated and cooked, being careful not to burn.
💡 Tips
Modori cutting board sets are flexible, making it convenient to transfer ingredients directly into the pan without spilling.
📦 Storage & Reuse
Due to the high moisture content of cucumbers, spicy cucumber salad (oimuchim 오이무침) tends to release water over time, so it's most delicious when consumed immediately after preparation.
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and try to consume it within 1-2 days.
Freezing is not recommended as it can cause the cucumbers to lose their crisp texture and become soggy.
If you have leftover spicy cucumber salad, a good way to enjoy it is by having it with rice mixed in cold water, or by using it as a topping for noodles or bibimbap.
If too much water has accumulated, gently squeeze out the excess before eating.
If you have extra cucumbers, you can also make cold cucumber soup (oi naengguk 오이냉국) or cucumber pickles.
🥢 Who This Is For
This spicy cucumber salad, with its excellent spicy and crunchy texture, makes a great accompaniment to a refreshing glass of beer on a hot summer day.
It also pairs wonderfully as a side dish with main Korean dishes like kimchi jjigae (김치찌개) or doenjang jjigae (된장찌개).
It's especially effective at cleansing the palate when eaten with rich dishes like meat or fried foods.
It is more recommended for adults who enjoy spicy flavors rather than children.
It's also a delicious topping for bibimbap or janchi guksu (잔치국수).
🔥 Nutrition Info
Based on one cucumber and the seasonings provided in the recipe, a serving for one person (approx.
100g) is estimated to contain about 50-70 kcal.
Cucumbers themselves are low in calories and high in water content, making them a light addition to a diet.
Protein is estimated at about 1-2g, fat at about 3-5g, and carbohydrates at about 5-8g.
Cucumbers are rich in various vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and potassium, which aid in hydration and waste removal.
Allicin in minced garlic and green onions is good for boosting immunity, and unsaturated fatty acids in sesame oil have beneficial effects on health.
The sodium content in seasoned salt should not be overlooked, so if you prefer a low-sodium diet, it is advisable to adjust the amount of salt.
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