Hi! Unnie

Hey everyone. Korea’s still brutally hot right now, and honestly, all I want is something that goes down cold and refreshing. So today I’m sharing the dish that fixes that instantly: oi naengguk, a cold cucumber soup. It’s exactly what it sounds like — a chilled soup with cucumber in it. “Naengguk” literally means “cold soup” in Korean, so don’t let the idea of a cold soup throw you off! One spoonful in, and you’ll get why this is how Koreans survive summer. Sweet, tangy, and ice-cold, it instantly wakes up an appetite the heat’s been wearing down. Honestly, it barely even counts as “cooking” — that’s how simple it is.

🥒 Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 1 cheongyang chili (Korean hot green chili — if you can’t find it, serrano pepper is the closest match in heat level; jalapeño works too but will be noticeably milder) and 1 red chili, sliced into long thin strips
• A small handful of dried miyeok (seaweed) — soak in water for 20 minutes, blanch in boiling water for about 15 seconds, then rinse in cold water
• 720ml water
• Seasoning: 2/3 tbsp coarse salt, 1 tbsp guk-ganjang (Korean soup soy sauce), 2 tbsp sugar, 5–6 tbsp apple cider vinegar (add more if you like it extra tangy), 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, a pinch of toasted sesame seeds
• Optional: a tiny pinch of beef bouillon powder OR 1 tsp chamchi-aek (Korean tuna extract seasoning) — pick whichever umami flavor you prefer

✅ How to Make It

1. Wash the cucumber and julienne it.
2. Slice the cheongyang chili and red chili into long, thin strips. The cheongyang chili adds a bit of heat, while the red chili adds color and aroma. I used 1 of each per cucumber, but use less if you don’t want it spicy.
3. Soak the dried miyeok in water for about 20 minutes. Once softened, blanch it in boiling water for just 15 seconds, then rinse immediately under cold water and set aside.
4. Add the julienned cucumber, chilies, and blanched miyeok to a large bowl. Almost there!
5. Add the coarse salt, guk-ganjang, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and minced garlic, then pour in the 720ml of water. If I’m planning to eat it right away, I’ll do about 500ml water plus ice to make up the rest — keeps it extra cold.
6. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds, mix well, and your cold cucumber soup is ready!

🛒 Can’t Find Cheongyang Chili?

If you’re outside Korea, cheongyang chili can be tricky to track down at a regular grocery store. Serrano pepper is your best bet — the heat level is close, so you can swap it in 1:1. Jalapeño works in a pinch too, just know it’ll be a lot milder, so add a bit more if you want the same kick. If you want the real thing, check a Korean or Asian grocery store (H Mart is the big one in the US), or look it up on Weee!, which delivers Korean produce in most major cities.

💬 A Note From Unnie

Oi naengguk is one of those dishes I grew up with — my mom used to make it all the time in summer, and you’ll also find it at Korean restaurants, especially ones known for spicy food. There’s something about eating something fiery, going “ha-ha” trying to cool your mouth down, and then having a spoonful of this — the heat melts away and that sweet-tangy flavor pulls your appetite right back. Even in the middle of summer, having this instead of a hot soup alongside your meal is what really brings a lost appetite back to life. It’s genuinely nothing fancy, but it earns its place as a summer staple. Serve it ice-cold straight from the fridge — that’s non-negotiable here. When you’ve got zero appetite in this heat, one bowl of this and you’ll feel human again.

Try it out and let me know how it goes in the comments! I’ll be back soon with more recipes to help you beat the summer heat.