Funchosa (glass noodles) with cucumber
A quick, zesty dish! Funchosa with cucumber is appealing because it's easy and fast to put together, and the recipe is endlessly adaptable — you can keep adding new layers of flavor. This simple dish comes in handy for a last-minute breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The results are really tasty, a little unexpected, and fun! The delicate, mild flavor of the noodles is the perfect foil for the bite of garlic and warm spices. (Funchosa is a Korean-style cold dish of thin glass noodles.)
Cooking method
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Step 1:
To make funchosa with cucumber, you'll need these basic ingredients: funchosa (glass noodles), fresh cucumbers, and a little Korean carrot.
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Step 2:
Either boil the noodles or soak them in boiling water, depending on the brand and how thick the noodles are. For perfect noodles, follow the package directions or check them often for doneness. Stir them now and then while they cook. You can add a little vegetable oil to the cooking water so the noodles don't clump.
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Step 3:
Wash the cucumbers and cut them into thin strips with a sharp knife or a julienne slicer.
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Step 4:
Tip the cooked funchosa into a fine-mesh strainer or colander. You can rinse the noodles with cold water. Let them drain. Put the noodles in a large bowl. Add the sesame oil and toss so they don't stick together.
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Step 5:
Add the cucumber strips, Korean carrot, and spices to taste to the bowl of noodles, along with any other ingredients you like — vinegar, lemon juice, or soy sauce, for example.
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Step 6:
Toss and serve, finishing the funchosa with cucumber with a sprinkle of white or black sesame seeds.
- You can also add thinly sliced meaty red bell pepper and minced garlic to funchosa with cucumber, plus — for those who like it spicy — some hot chili pepper. Small pieces of juicy ripe tomato would be a nice touch in this dish too. Stores sell special Korean dressings for funchosa salads; try using them with these wonderful noodles. You can serve the finished dish right after making it, or chill it in the fridge for 2–3 hours and serve it cold.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Fresh cucumbers - 15 kcal/100g
- Garlic - 143 kcal/100g
- Dried whole sesame seeds - 563 kcal/100g
- Shelled sesame seed - 582 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Spices dry - 240 kcal/100g
- Sesame oil - 899 kcal/100g
- Glass noodles - 351 kcal/100g
- Korean carrots - 134 kcal/100g
