Refreshing Seaweed and Cucumber Cold Soup (Miyeok Oi Naengguk)
Enjoy a Cool and Refreshing Summer Dish: Miyeok Oi Naengguk!
On a sweltering hot day with not a whisper of wind, I prepared a simple meal featuring this refreshing and clean-tasting seaweed and cucumber cold soup. This dish is perfect for lifting your spirits and cooling you down. The combination of chewy seaweed, crisp cucumbers, and a tangy broth is wonderfully invigorating.
Ingredients- 10g dried seaweed (expands significantly when soaked)
- 100g cucumber (about 1/2 medium cucumber, prepared)
- 70g onion (about 1/4 medium onion)
- 2 Korean chili peppers (red and green for color and mild heat)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 3 cups water (approx. 600ml)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (Guk-ganjang, for savory depth)
- 2 Tbsp apple vinegar or pear beverage (for a touch of sweetness and fruity notes)
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (for tanginess)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (for nutty aroma)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the dried seaweed. Soak the dried seaweed in cold water for about 10-15 minutes until fully rehydrated. Gently squeeze out the excess water and rinse it under cold water a few times to remove any impurities. Squeeze out as much water as possible.
Step 2
Cut the rehydrated seaweed into bite-sized pieces. Cutting them into lengths of about 5-6 cm makes them easy to eat with the broth.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the vegetables. Wash the cucumber thoroughly, even the skin. You can use coarse salt to gently rub the surface for a cleaner scrub. Halve the cucumber, scoop out the seeds, and slice it thinly into strips about 0.3-0.5 cm thick. Slice the red and green chili peppers thinly into rounds. If you prefer more heat, you can leave the seeds in. Peel the onion and slice it thinly into strips. Soak the onion strips in cold water for about 5 minutes to mellow their pungent flavor, then drain well. This step helps to create a cleaner tasting broth.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine the prepared seaweed, sliced cucumber (reserve a small portion for later), thinly sliced chili peppers, minced garlic, soy sauce for soup, and apple vinegar (or pear beverage). Gently mix and massage the ingredients together with your hands until the seasonings are well distributed throughout the seaweed and vegetables. This initial seasoning step infuses the seaweed with flavor.
Step 5
In a large pot or bowl, pour in 3 cups (approximately 600ml) of water. Boil this water first, then let it cool down completely. Once the water is completely cooled, add it to the seasoned seaweed mixture and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until thoroughly chilled. The colder the broth, the more refreshing it will be.
Step 6
When the broth is sufficiently chilled, take the soup out of the refrigerator. Now, add the reserved sliced cucumber and the drained sliced onion. Adding the vegetables just before serving helps maintain their crisp texture. Stir gently to combine everything evenly.
Step 7
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar for a pleasant tanginess and 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds for a nutty aroma. Feel free to adjust the amount of vinegar or sweetener (like apple vinegar or a touch of sugar) to suit your personal taste preferences. Give it a gentle final mix, and your delicious Miyeok Oi Naengguk is ready to be served!
Step 8
On a hot day, the refreshing coolness of this soup is truly wonderful! It pairs perfectly with rice and makes for an excellent light lunch or dinner option. Enjoy your homemade cold soup!
