Refreshing Seasoned Cucumber Salad (Oimuchim) and Chilled Cucumber Soup (Oinaengguk) Made with Frozen Cucumbers Recipe
This recipe introduces how to use frozen cucumbers to create a refreshing seasoned cucumber salad (Oimuchim) and chilled cucumber soup (Oinaengguk) that will awaken your appetite in the summer heat.
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Introducing a refreshing frozen cucumber recipe for boosting your appetite in summer, including instructions for Cucumber Salad and Chilled Cucumber Soup (오이냉국).
📝 Editor's Notes
This Cucumber Salad recipe introduces a special method to refresh your palate, which is often tired from summer heat: by using frozen cucumbers.
Thanks to the frozen cucumbers, you can enjoy a much cooler and crispier texture than regular cucumber salad.
It preserves the fresh moisture of the cucumber while offering a surprisingly chewy yet crunchy appeal.
The preparation time is relatively simple, taking about 40 minutes, and includes tips for frozen storage, making it very useful for those who want to enjoy fresh cucumbers for a long time.
This recipe is perfect as a side dish or an appetizer with its cool and clean taste.
🛒 Ingredient Tips
For fresh cucumbers, look for ones with shiny, vibrant skin that feel firm and straight.
It's especially important to check if the stem end is fresh.
Salt is divided into pickling salt and seasoning salt.
For pickling, where the focus is on drawing out moisture, regular coarse salt or sea salt can be used.
For seasoning, using a very small amount of seasoned salt is the secret flavor point of this recipe; it adds umami without overpowering the cucumber's natural taste.
For minced garlic, use fresh garlic to maintain the cucumber's refreshing flavor.
🔄 Substitution Guide
While the core of this recipe is cucumber, making it difficult to substitute with other vegetables, if cucumbers are unavailable, you can use 'Korean zucchini (애호박)' to achieve a similar texture and taste.
Korean zucchini is also watery but less crisp than cucumber, offering a softer taste.
Instead of freezing, slice it thinly, salt it, squeeze out the moisture, and then mix with seasonings.
However, Korean zucchini may be less refreshing than cucumber and differ slightly from the familiar flavor of cucumber salad.
If you want to season with soy sauce instead of salt, use a very small amount of guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce) instead of salt.
However, using soy sauce may darken the cucumber's color and add its unique aroma, deviating from the original clean taste.
🥘 Ingredients
👨🍳 Cooking Points
The most crucial cooking points for this Cucumber Salad are 'freezing and thawing the cucumbers' and 'removing moisture.' First, tightly wrapping cucumbers in plastic wrap before freezing is essential to preserve their moisture, prevent freezer odors, and maintain their crisp texture.
Second, when thawing frozen cucumbers, the key to preserving their crispness is to slice them 'while they are still slightly chilled' after letting them sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes or rinsing them quickly in cold water, rather than completely thawing them.
Third, after adding pickling salt and drawing out moisture for 5-10 minutes, rinsing them in cold water and 'gently squeezing by hand to remove just the right amount of moisture' is important.
Squeezing too hard will ruin the cucumber's texture, and not enough will dilute the seasoning, so remember these points!
👨🍳 Directions
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly under running water to gently remove any dust or impurities from the surface.
Wipe the cucumbers meticulously dry with a kitchen towel or a clean cloth.
Wrap each cucumber tightly with plastic wrap. (If you don't have plastic wrap, you can use a zip-top bag or a plastic bag. It's important to wrap them tightly to prevent too much air from entering. This helps reduce freezer odor and maintain the cucumbers' moisture.)
Place the wrapped cucumbers neatly in a corner of the freezer and freeze them. (Cucumbers you plan to eat immediately should be kept in the refrigerator; those you don't expect to consume within a few days are best sent to the freezer.)
When you want to eat the frozen cucumbers, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes, or if you want to use them sooner, rinse them quickly under cold water. (To preserve their crisp texture, it's best to slice them while they are still slightly chilled, rather than completely thawed through.)
Slice the thawed cucumbers into slightly thick, bite-sized pieces.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt (for pickling) over the sliced cucumbers, mix gently once, and let them sit for about 5 to 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture. (This step is crucial because frozen cucumbers release more water, preventing the dish from becoming watery and bland.)
Quickly rinse the cucumbers that have released water under cold water, then gently squeeze them by hand to remove just the appropriate amount of moisture. (This step is key to enhancing the cucumbers' crisp texture and making the seasoning taste much cleaner.)
To the drained cucumbers, add 1 tbsp of sesame oil and a light sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
Season very lightly with seasoned salt or regular salt (for seasoning). (If you want to add umami, you can also add a very small amount of minced garlic.)
Gently mix all ingredients together, and your refreshing Cucumber Salad, perfect for boosting your summer appetite, is complete.
💡 Tips
Freezing cucumbers prevents them from spoiling easily, allowing them to be used fresh for a longer time, and makes it convenient to prepare dishes like Cucumber Salad or Chilled Cucumber Soup (오이냉국).
Frozen cucumbers have a much more refreshing sensation than regular cucumbers, making them particularly appealing when your appetite is low in summer.
When freezing, thoroughly removing moisture from the cucumbers and wrapping them tightly can reduce frost buildup, maintain their texture, and prevent them from absorbing freezer odors.
Frozen cucumbers retain a cool crispness, making them much more refreshing and crunchy than those made with refrigerated cucumbers, leaving your palate feeling clean.
📦 Storage & Reuse
The finished Cucumber Salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.
Since cucumbers may continue to release moisture, gently mix it before serving.
Freezing the finished salad is not recommended, as the seasoning may cause the cucumber's texture to become mushy and the flavor to change.
If you have leftover cucumbers, consider making Chilled Cucumber Soup (오이냉국).
Slice the remaining cucumbers thinly, lightly salt them, squeeze out the moisture, and then add them to cold water seasoned with vinegar, sugar, salt, and minced garlic for a refreshing soup.
Using leftover cucumbers for a face mask is also a good idea.
🥢 Who This Is For
This Cucumber Salad is highly recommended as a cool and refreshing side dish, especially on hot summer days when you have little appetite.
The crisp texture and cool taste of the frozen cucumbers will help you forget the heat.
It has a mild flavor that can be enjoyed by children and seniors who don't prefer spicy foods.
It pairs well with warm rice, or as a topping for cold noodles or bibimbap.
It also effectively cuts through the richness of oily main dishes like samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly).
🔥 Nutrition Info
This Cucumber Salad is a healthy side dish with very low calories, as cucumber is the main ingredient.
The estimated calorie count per serving is about 30-50 kcal, with very low protein and fat content, consisting mostly of carbohydrates.
Cucumbers, with over 95% water content, help quench thirst in summer and are rich in potassium, aiding in sodium excretion and positively impacting blood pressure regulation.
They also contain small amounts of Vitamin K and Vitamin C, contributing to antioxidant effects and immune enhancement.
The allicin in minced garlic is good for boosting immunity and has antimicrobial properties, and sesame oil provides unsaturated fatty acids and Vitamin E, though in small amounts, so it doesn't significantly impact the overall nutrition.
This is an excellent choice for those seeking a healthy and light meal.
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