Korean Seasoned Sea Grapes Salad
Quick answer
- Total time
- 12 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Kkosiraegi-muchim is a tangy, low-calorie banchan made from kkosiraegi, a red algae seaweed whose thin, noodle-like strands snap with a distinctive crunch that no other seaweed can replicate.
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Blanching must not exceed twenty seconds, as anything longer collapses the characteristic texture, so a timer is essential. The seaweed goes straight from the boiling water into cold water to stop the heat and lock in elasticity. The dressing brings together gochugaru, soup soy sauce, vinegar, maesil-cheong, garlic, and sesame oil; the green plum extract layering in a fruity acidity that lifts the dish beyond simple sour-spicy flavoring. Julienned cucumber threaded through the seaweed strands provides a crisp, garden counterpoint to the oceanic depth. At roughly 72 kilocalories per serving with high dietary fiber content, this banchan appears frequently in Korean diet meal plans because it satisfies without adding much to the calorie count. Eating it promptly after seasoning prevents the cucumber from releasing water and diluting the dressing. Served cold in summer, it doubles as a refreshing side that pairs well with grilled meat or plain rice.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Place 220 g of kkosiraegi in a colander and rinse under cold running water two or three times, rubbing the strands lightly to clear surface salt and any grit clinging to them.
- 2Finish
When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the kkosiraegi and start a timer for exactly twenty seconds.
The moment it goes off, scoop the seaweed out and transfer it to cold water to preserve its signature snapping bite.
- 3Season
Halve the 80 g cucumber, scrape out seeds with a spoon, cut into 4 cm pieces, and julienne finely.
Toss the shreds with a pinch of salt, rest two minutes to draw out water, then squeeze firmly before adding.
- 4Season
In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce, 1.5 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon maesil-cheong, half a teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil until the chili flakes are fully dissolved.
- 5Prep
Add the drained kkosiraegi and squeezed cucumber to the bowl.
Fold and lift with chopsticks, coating every strand without pressing down, so the delicate seaweed threads stay whole and receive the dressing evenly.
- 6Finish
Taste and adjust with a few drops of vinegar for sourness or a dash of soup soy sauce for salt.
Plate within ten minutes to keep the dressing thick before the cucumber releases water and dilutes the flavor.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Thin strands of red algae seaweed deliver a distinctive snap that defines this salad.
- Finish cue
- Taste and adjust with a few drops of vinegar for sourness or a dash of soup soy sauce for salt.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
12min, 8 ingredients
Category median
25min, 8 ingredients
Based on 189 recipes
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