Hatch Pepper Korean Style Cucumber Banchan Side Dish

This dish is a refreshing and spicy banchan (side dish) that combines the crispness of cucumbers with the smoky heat of Hatch Peppers.

Ingredients

• 1 bag of fresh Mini Cucumbers or Pickling Cucumbers (about 10-12)
• 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt or coarse salt

For the sauce

• 1 small bunch of green onion, washed and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 minced Garlic Cloves
• 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce (I use the Three Crabs brand in the pink & white bottle… Nuic Mam Nhi, Viet Huong)
• 1 Tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp of ground Dried Hatch Pepper (grind in a blender or mortar & pestle)
• 1 Tbsp of Kochigaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 tsp of sesame oil
• 1 tsp of sesame seeds, roasted
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp of water

Directions

• Chop up the cucumbers into a bowl, about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle the cucumbers with Kosher salt and toss. Pour out the water that has accumulated at the bottom of the bowl. Let them sit for about 10 minutes, toss again. Set aside.
• Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a separate bowl.
• Pour the sauce over the cucumbers and mix gently until the sugar is dissolved.

Recipe Note
The cucumbers last about 1-3 days in the fridge after you mix them with the sauce. It’s best to mix the sauce with the cucumbers the same day you’re eating it to retain the crunchy texture.

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