Refreshing & Tangy Seaweed Salad (Miyeokcho Muchim)
Summer Side Dish: A Sweet and Sour Seaweed Salad to Awaken Your Appetite
Beat the summer heat and your lack of appetite with this no-cook seaweed salad! Its delightful sweet and sour flavor is addictive. Find more recipes at blog.naver.com/bluepigk.
Ingredients- Dried seaweed 10g
- 1/4 onion
- 1/2 cucumber
Seasoning- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp vinegar
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp vinegar
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
A quick intro before we start! This recipe makes enough for one side dish container. If you want to make a larger batch, simply double the amount of seaweed and seasoning ingredients!
Step 2
First, rehydrate the dried seaweed by soaking it in plenty of water (over 1.5 liters) until fully softened. Once rehydrated, cut it into bite-sized pieces for easier eating.
Step 3
While the seaweed is soaking, let’s prepare the delicious seasoning sauce. In a bowl, combine 2 Tbsp gochujang, 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 3 Tbsp vinegar, 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic, and 0.5 Tbsp sugar. Mix them well until smooth without any lumps. We’ll add the sesame oil at the very end to preserve its aroma, so don’t add it to the sauce mixture yet. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your personal taste for the perfect flavor balance.
Step 4
Thinly slice the cucumber diagonally and thinly julienne the onion. The thinner the vegetables are cut, the better they will absorb the flavorful seasoning.
Step 5
To remove the sharp pungency of the julienned onion, soak it in cold water for about 5 minutes. This process mellows the onion’s bite while enhancing its natural sweetness, making it more pleasant to eat.
Step 6
For the cucumber, after slicing thinly, lightly salt it and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then, rinse it thoroughly under running water to remove the salt, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible by hand. This technique not only keeps the cucumber refreshingly crisp but also prevents excess water from making the salad soggy, allowing it to stay delicious for longer.
Step 7
Blanch the fully rehydrated seaweed in boiling water for just 1 to 2 minutes. A brief blanch is enough to eliminate any undesirable ‘sea’ flavor, leaving behind a fresh taste. Be careful not to over-blanch, as this can make the seaweed mushy.
Step 8
Immediately after blanching, transfer the seaweed to a bowl of cold water and rinse it several times to cool it down. Squeeze out as much water as you can by hand. Thoroughly draining the seaweed is crucial for the dressing to adhere properly without making the salad watery.
Step 9
Now it’s time to combine everything! Place the well-drained seaweed, prepared cucumber, and drained onion into a large mixing bowl. Add the pre-made seasoning sauce and gently toss everything together. It’s important to mix quickly and lightly to avoid developing a slimy texture from the seaweed.
Step 10
Finally, drizzle in 1 Tbsp of sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to finish. Your delicious and tangy summer seaweed salad is ready! The satisfying crunch of the cucumber and vegetables, combined with the zesty dressing, is perfect for beating those summer appetite slumps. It’s the ultimate summer side dish to rediscover your appetite!
