I absolutely love the complex flavors of Korean food which is famous for fermented cabbage, or kimchi, which is excellent for gut health. Other famous items include bulgogi (marinated beef barbeque), japchae (stir fried noodles) and bibimbap (mixed ingredients in a rice bowl). I make many versions of Korean tacos, but one of my favorites is pork or beef marinated in gochujang, a sweet, savory, and spicy red chili paste and served in butter lettuce cups. To accompany this dish, I always made a Korean cucumber salad which is a healthy and easy side that goes perfectly with the tacos. It is simple to make but tastes heavenly. I just went to Koreatown in Los Angeles, and this was one of the banchan, or vegetable side dishes, offered at the barbeque restaurant we visited and enjoyed!
Ingredients
5 Persian cucumbers, sliced thinly
1 tsp. sea salt
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scant tbsp. gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes can be found at Whole Foods or Fresh Market)
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds (I buy these at Trader Joes)
1. In a large bowl, toss the sliced cucumbers with 1 tsp of salt. Let sit for 15 minutes. This brings the moisture out of the vegetables.
2. Once the cucumbers have sat for the allotted time, add chopped scallion and garlic. Then add gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and sugar. Gently mix them together until the cucumber is well coated.
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