Oi-Naengguk: Cold Cucumber Soup

By Joe Wabe.

Cucumbers are exceptional! They are low in calories but packed with nutrients and water, ideal to promote hydration during the hot months of the year. The fact that they are composed of about 96 percent water will help you battle the heat of summer.

Although cucumbers are more suitable to grow at warm temperatures, the fact remains that the help of green houses and LED lights allows them to be produced all year long in Korea. This creeping vine that sprouts from the ground originated in South Asia but is now grown and loved worldwide.

Oi-naengguk reminds me of ceviche. It is sour with a pinch of sweetness, fresh, elegant, and easy to prepare. There is not much history or information regarding where it might have come from – I assume because of its simplicity – but without a doubt, this refreshing and icy-cold soup will make you feel as cool as a cucumber!

Ingredients (Serves 4)
2 medium-sized cucumbers julienned
¼ cup of dried seaweed
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 red pepper thinly sliced
1 or 2 tablespoons of white vinegar (depending on the acidity you desire)
1 tablespoon of sugar
½ tablespoon of regular soy sauce
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of chilled water
Some ice cubes

Preparation
The first step is to soak the seaweed in cold water for about ten minutes. Drain and squeeze the water, but do not throw it out. Set it aside. In a bowl, combine the seaweed with the minced garlic, pepper, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar until it is all well blended.

Add the cucumbers, sesame seeds, and the water last, and if needed, you can adjust the saltiness to please your taste by sprinkling in a bit more salt.

Add some ice cubes to chill the soup even further, but be sparing with it since it will melt and could dilute some of the savory tones you had created.

The Author
Joe Wabe is a Gwangju expat who has been contributing to the GIC and the Gwangju News for more than ten years with his work in photography and writing.