Korean Cucumber Salad Recipe (Oi Muchim recipe)

Here are some tips for picking out the crispest cucumbers:

Look for cucumbers that are firm and evenly colored, without any soft spots, bruises, or wrinkles. Avoid cucumbers that are overly shiny, as they may be coated with wax to extend their shelf life.

Choose cucumbers that are relatively straight and have a consistent diameter from end to end. Cucumbers that are too curved or have irregular shapes may indicate uneven growth or uneven ripening which can affect their texture.
Press gently on the ends of the cucumber with your fingertips. A fresh cucumber should feel firm and not give too much. If it feels mushy or overly soft, it may be a sign of a waterlogged or overripe cucumber.

Check the color of the cucumber's skin. Ideally, it should be a vibrant green color without any yellowing or browning. However, some cucumber varieties may have naturally paler or mottled skin, so it's important to consider the specific type of cucumber you're selecting.

Smell the cucumber. A fresh cucumber should have a mild, fresh scent. If it smells sour, musty, or off, it may be a sign of spoilage.
If possible, choose cucumbers that are sold without plastic wrap or excessive packaging, as this can trap moisture and lead to a loss of crispness.
By following these tips, you can select the crispest cucumbers for your Korean cucumber salad or any other dish you're preparing.

Oi Muchim and Oi Saengchae are both Korean banchans (side dishes) made with cucumbers. Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, but they sometimes differ in their preparation, flavor profiles, and textures.

Preparation: Oi Muchim is a seasoned cucumber salad that is typically made by thinly slicing cucumbers and marinating them in a mixture of seasonings such as soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. It is often garnished with sesame seeds and sometimes with garlic or onions. On the other hand, Oi Saengchae is a fresh cucumber salad that is made by julienned cucumbers mixed with seasonings like vinegar, sugar, salt, and sometimes garlic, without any marination time.

Flavor profiles: Oi Muchim has a savory, slightly sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor profile due to the combination of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. The sesame oil adds a nutty aroma to the dish. Oi Saengchae, on the other hand, has a fresh, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor from the vinegar and sugar, with a crisp texture from the raw cucumbers. It often has a milder taste compared to Oi Muchim.

Textures: Oi Muchim typically has softer cucumbers due to marination, or brining, and the seasonings infuse into the cucumber slices, making them more tender and flavorful. Oi Saengchae, being a fresh cucumber salad, has a crisper and crunchier texture as the cucumbers are typically julienned or thinly sliced and not marinated, allowing them to retain their natural crunchiness.

Korean cucumber salad can typically stay fresh for up 2-3 days in the refrigerator if stored properly. To store the salad you should transfer it to an airtight container or cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap before placing it in the refrigerator.

It is important to note that the longer the salad sits, the more it will release liquid, making it softer and less crunchy. Therefore, follow these steps if you intend to make this in advance and not eat it for a day or two:

After you cut the cucumbers, place them into a colander in your sink.
Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and allow them to sit for 20 minutes.  The salt will start to draw extra moisture out of the cucumbers.
Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly under cold running water until you have gotten rid of all the salt.

Dry the cucumbers on a kitchen cloth, and then mix them with the remaining ingredients.  

If you follow those steps, your salad with not release as much liquid as it sits for a couple of days.

In traditional Korean cucumber salads, various types of fish or seafood products are sometimes used to add umami flavor. These can include:

Salted Shrimp (Saeujeot), Fish Sauce, Anchovies (Myeolchi), and Oysters (Gul).

These ingredients are not used in this vegan Korean cucumber salad. I wouldn't say that not using animal-based ingredients makes this Korean cucumber salad recipe like some kind of phony garbage. Instead I would say it makes this recipe one that both humans and sea creatures will both love very dearly.