Flavorful Eggplant Rice (Gajibap) – Hyori’s Homestay Style
Easy-to-Follow Hyori’s Homestay Eggplant Rice Recipe
Enjoy a delightful meal at home with this Hyori’s Homestay-inspired Eggplant Rice! The combination of freshly cooked rice, savory stir-fried eggplant and pork, and a fragrant seasoning sauce creates an unforgettable dining experience. It’s the perfect choice to tantalize your taste buds, whether for a special occasion or an ordinary day.
Rice Cooking Ingredients- 1.5 cups rice (measured with paper cup, approx. 270g)
- Water (less than usual)
- 2 eggplants
- 1 stalk green onion
Pork Stir-fry Ingredients- 150g ground pork
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
Pork Marination- 0.5 Tbsp oyster sauce
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 150g ground pork
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
Pork Marination- 0.5 Tbsp oyster sauce
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the rice thoroughly. Then, place it in a bowl and soak it in lukewarm water for about 30 minutes. Soaking the rice this way helps it cook up fluffy and delicious.
Step 2
For the pork marinade, put the ground pork in a bowl. Add 0.5 Tbsp oyster sauce, a pinch of black pepper, and 1 Tbsp mirin. Mix well by gently massaging it with your hands. Let it marinate for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate.
Step 3
Wash the eggplants and cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 1cm thick. It’s best to cut them into moderate sizes so they don’t become mushy when placed on top of the rice.
Step 4
Finely chop the green onion. The aromatic flavor of the green onion will enhance the taste of the pork and eggplant.
Step 5
Now, let’s make the special seasoning sauce. In a bowl, combine finely chopped chives, onion, Korean green chilies, and red chili. Add 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic, 6 Tbsp soy sauce, 0.5 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp oligodang, sesame seeds, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Mix everything thoroughly. The spicy and sweet aroma will make your mouth water!
Step 6
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil. Sauté the chopped green onions until fragrant. Once the green onion oil is aromatic, add the marinated ground pork. Break it up with your spatula to prevent clumping and stir-fry until it’s mostly cooked.
Step 7
When the pork is about 80% cooked, add the chopped eggplant and 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce. Stir-fry quickly but thoroughly to combine the ingredients without making the eggplant too mushy.
Step 8
Time to cook the rice. In a Happycall cast iron pot (or any heavy-bottomed pot), add the soaked rice and water. Use slightly less water than you normally would for cooking rice. Spread the stir-fried eggplant and pork mixture evenly over the rice. Cover with the lid, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 9
After simmering on low heat for 15 minutes, turn off the heat completely. Keep the lid on and let the rice steam for another 10 minutes. This steaming process is crucial for a perfectly delicious rice, so don’t skip it!
Step 10
Wow! As soon as the steaming is finished and you lift the lid, a wonderfully savory aroma fills the air. The eggplant and pork are beautifully mixed with the rice grains, making it look incredibly appetizing.
Step 11
Serve the perfectly cooked eggplant rice in a bowl. Top it with the special seasoning sauce and mix well before eating. Enjoy this dish that will bring joy to your entire family!
