Oi naengguk, (Chilled cucumber soup)

This chilled soup is a perfect dish to cool off on hot summer days. Oi naengguk is a cold soup that’s made with cucumber. A popular variation is made with miyeok (seaweed), which is what I made here. Simply use more cucumber if you are not adding seaweed. Make ahead of time and chill well before serving.

4 servings

Ingredients:

● 1 Korean cucumber or 2 Kirby (pickling) cucumbers (about 160 grams)

● 1 cup soaked miyeok (seaweed) ― about 15 grams dried

● 1 green or red chili pepper or scallion

● 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce

● 1 teaspoon Korean red chili pepper flakes

● 1 teaspoon sugar

● 1 teaspoon sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

For the soup:

● 4 cups of water

● 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce

● 3 tablespoons vinegar

● Salt to taste

Cut the cucumber into match sticks. Finely chop the chili pepper or scallion.

Prepare the dried seaweed by soaking and rinsing well. Boil water in a small pot with 1 teaspoon of salt. Blanch the soaked seaweed briefly, about one minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again, squeeze out excess water and cut into bite size pieces.

In a medium-sized bowl, gently toss the vegetables with the next five ingredients. Refrigerate to chill.

In another medium-sized bowl, mix 4 cups of water with the soup soy sauce, vinegar and salt. Start with a half teaspoon of salt, taste it, and add more if necessary. Refrigerate to chill.

When ready to serve, combine the cucumber and miyeok mix with the soup. Stir the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste, if necessary. Serve in chilled bowls with a couple of ice cubes.

See more recipes at www.koreanbapsang.com.

By Ro Hyo-sun