Oi-muchim (Spicy Korean seasoned Cucumber)

My Sunday addition for "The 52 Cookbook Pact" hosted by Ruchina. Here is a salad/side dish called "Oi-muchim", a spicy red hot seasoned Cucumber Korean side dish for you. It looks hot and spicy but not really if you use less Gochugaru, can be spicy depends on what kind of chilli and the quantity you add to it but it's delicious and healthy with garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds. I added Rice Vinegar to balance the taste to the original recipe. Try.

Maangchi's Oi-muchim:

 To Make it, you need:
    4 mini seedless cucumber (or 2 English cucumbers),sliced 1/8" thick,
    ¼ cup thinly sliced onion, (I used white part of Green onion (Scallion)
    1 long green onion, chopped
    1tsp Rice Vinegar or Lemon juice
    2-3 garlic cloves, minced (I added more, love fresh Garlic)
    1 or 2 tsp soy sauce
    1or 2 tsp Korean hot pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
    1 tsp sesame oil
    1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
    1/2 tsp sugar and salt to taste

Method:
1.   Cut the cucumber in any shape you like but I sliced them diagonally to about 1/8" thickness into a wide bowl.
2. Add the sliced white part and green part of the Spring onion, minced garlic, soy sauce, hot pepper flakes (Gochugaru), sesame oil, sesame seeds, Vinegar or lemon juice and sugar. Mix and add salt to taste. Mix well.
3. Spicy and yummy Korean cucumber salad Oi-muchim is ready!
4. Taste better chilled or at room temperature after marinating for 1 hour or so.

Note:
Add salt to taste at the end as Soy sauce contains salt already.
Go easy on Sesame oil, can be bitter if added too much.
Use seedless Cucumbers if you can get them. If not, young cucumbers with less or soft seeds are usable too.
Korean Gochugaru is flaky, somewhat milder chilli flakes with bright red color which is wonderful for this dish, Asian stores sell it. If you don't have it, you could add a mixture of Kashmiri chilli pd for color and any spicy chilli flakes or powder for heat, up to you.
You can eat this as a salad for quick lunch or as a side dish for BBQ or even with plain brown or white rice. Enjoy.
Cookbook:
This recipe is from "Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking" by Maangchi. She also has a youtube channel in which she shows authentic Korean dishes which are delicious.
Great for spicy, healthy and light snack if you are on diet or NOT, fills you up without filling you up in all the wrong places! Get it , Get it?! Haha......