Crispy Bean Sprout Rice (Kongnamul Sotr-bap)
Crispy Bean Sprout Rice Recipe! A Simple and Satisfying Lunch
After cooking a large batch of bean sprouts, I decided to make delicious bean sprout rice, or ‘kongnamul sotr-bap’. This one-pot meal, needing no side dishes, is always a hit for a simple lunch. We sometimes enjoy it for breakfast too! How about trying this incredibly easy pot rice for your lunch today? I’m sharing this home-cooked dish from my kitchen, ‘Ga-shi-jang-mi’s Table’.
Rice Cooking Ingredients- 2 cups short-grain rice
- 260g prepared bean sprouts
- 380ml water
Flavorful Dipping Sauce Ingredients- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (for stir-fries/general use)
- 1/2 tsp Korean soup soy sauce (for deeper flavor)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced green onion
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Sesame seeds + black sesame seeds, to taste
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (for stir-fries/general use)
- 1/2 tsp Korean soup soy sauce (for deeper flavor)
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced green onion
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Sesame seeds + black sesame seeds, to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the rice under cold running water a couple of times until the water runs relatively clear. Once washed, soak the rice in a bowl of water for about 30 to 40 minutes. Soaking allows the rice to cook more evenly and results in a chewier texture. After soaking, drain the rice thoroughly in a sieve.
Step 2
Wash the prepared bean sprouts under cold running water. For the best crispy texture, it’s a good idea to remove the hairy roots. Drain the washed bean sprouts well in a sieve.
Step 3
Now, let’s cook the rice! Place the drained soaked rice into your pot or rice cooker. Add the 380ml of water. Place the pot on your induction cooktop and set it to high heat (level 8). Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. This initial high heat stage helps to cook the rice grains.
Step 4
After about 3 to 4 minutes, you should hear the water starting to boil vigorously (‘ppoggeul ppoggeul’). Carefully lift the lid. While being mindful not to let the water boil over, use a spatula to gently stir the rice from top to bottom. This helps to distribute the rice grains evenly and ensures consistent cooking.
Step 5
After gently mixing the rice, it’s time to add the bean sprouts! Sprinkle the prepared, crispy bean sprouts evenly over the rice in the pot. Adding the bean sprouts towards the end of the cooking process helps to preserve their signature crunch.
Step 6
Once the bean sprouts are added, put the lid back on securely. Reduce the heat to low (level 3) on your induction cooktop and let it cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the bean sprouts to steam and the rice to become fluffy. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice steam, covered, for another 7 minutes. This steaming period allows the moisture to distribute evenly, resulting in perfectly cooked and delicious bean sprout rice.