I love the heat, but Seoul’s summers can be brutal. When the temperatures soar, I daydream of boxes of ice water where I bury my head until my cheeks sting, turtle-like, but without the dirt. In real life, I eat lots of cold soups. Hye Rae showed me this recipe a few weeks ago, and I thought I’d be saving it until July before I’d need it. Not so. The time is now. She called it “diet soup” with a sly grin, knowing the nickname would normally never appeal to either of us. Salty, sour, spicy, and sweet, you don’t realize how light you’re really eating until afterward when you feel amazing, your lips tingling from the cold, spicy broth. Have this for a light lunch, a starter before dinner, or as a mid-afternoon snack when you need a boost and a cool-down all at once.
*The combination of cucumber and miyeok, type of seaweed, is delicious and healthful, but you could leave it out altogether if you prefer. Find dried miyeok in Asian markets outside of Korea, or at any small or large market in Korea.
oi = cucumber 
naeng = cold
guk = thin soup
Print
Miyeok Oi Naengguk – Cold Cucumber Soup
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1-2 1x
Description
A light, chilled soup ideal for hot summer days.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dried miyeok
- 1/4 onion
- 1/2 long cucumber
- 1/2 carrot
- 1 small red chili pepper
- 1 small green chili pepper
- 1/2 clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt + more for cucumbers
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold water
- ice cubes
- toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Soak miyeok in water for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the vegetables and stick clean spoons in the freezer to chill.
- Cut cucumber and carrot into matchsticks.
- Salt cucumber lightly and set aside.
- Mince garlic.
- Slice onion and chili peppers thinly. If you like spice, leave the ribs and seeds. If you don’t, scrape them out and discard.
- Rinse miyeok three times, then drain and squeeze out excess water.
- Mix miyeok with vegetables, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Add cold water and vinegar. Taste. Adjust with more salt, sugar, or vinegar until the flavors are balanced.
- Pour into bowl(s) and add a few ice cubes just before serving.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, crushing the seeds in your hands as you do.
- Serve with chilled spoon.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 50
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Homemade Egg Drop Soup
- Sigeumchi Namul: Korean Spinach Banchan
- Chicken Khao Soi: Curry Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Frequently Asked Questions
What is miyeok and do I need it for this soup?
Miyeok is a type of dried seaweed used in Korean cooking. The recipe notes that the combination of cucumber and miyeok is “delicious and healthful,” but you can leave it out entirely if you prefer. Outside Korea, look for dried miyeok at Asian grocery stores.
How do I control the spice level in this soup?
The heat comes from the red and green chili peppers. To tone it down, scrape out the ribs and seeds before slicing. If you like spice, leave the ribs and seeds in as the recipe says.
Why does the recipe call for a chilled spoon?
The soup is served ice-cold, and chilling the spoon in the freezer while you prep keeps everything at the same temperature. The recipe calls for ice cubes added just before serving for the same reason.
How do I know when the flavor balance is right?
After adding the 1½ cups cold water and 1 tsp rice vinegar, the recipe instructs you to taste and adjust with more salt, sugar, or vinegar until the flavors are balanced. The goal is a broth that is salty, sour, spicy, and sweet all at once.
You need soy sauce in there too