Hearty and Colorful Yu Sanseul Deopbap with Seafood and Vegetables
Homemade Yu Sanseul Deopbap: A Perfect Lunch Option for Kids on Vacation!
This recipe features a delicious Yu Sanseul Deopbap (a Korean rice bowl topped with stir-fried ingredients) made with leftover mushrooms from making Bulgogi Hot Pot, plus fresh squid and pork. Yu Sanseul traditionally involves stir-frying three types of ingredients cut into strips and thickening the sauce with starch. Today, I’m sharing a simplified version that’s easy to make at home. It’s a fantastic and nutritious lunch idea for kids during their school break, or a delightful meal for the whole family. Let’s get started!
Main Ingredients (Serves 4)- 1 squid (body only, cleaned)
- 200g pork loin (for Japchae)
- 1 king oyster mushroom
- 1 handful of oyster mushrooms
- 1 enoki mushroom
- 1/4 onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 3 Tbsp minced green onion
- 1/3 Tbsp minced garlic
- Cooking oil, as needed
- Sesame oil, as needed
Pork Marinade- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin, etc.)
- 1/3 Tbsp sugar
- Pinch of black pepper powder
Yu Sanseul Sauce- 1 and 1/2 cups water (300ml)
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 and 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (potato starch)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/3 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin, etc.)
- 1/3 Tbsp sugar
- Pinch of black pepper powder
Yu Sanseul Sauce- 1 and 1/2 cups water (300ml)
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 and 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (potato starch)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. First, marinate the pork. In a bowl, combine the 200g of pork (Japchae-cut) with 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/3 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp cooking wine, 1/3 Tbsp sugar, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix well by massaging the ingredients into the pork. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Step 2
2. Prepare the vegetables and mushrooms. Thinly slice the king oyster mushroom lengthwise into strips about 5-7cm long. Slice the onion into similar-sized strips. For the enoki mushroom, trim off the base and separate the strands. If the oyster mushrooms have thick stems, tear them apart into bite-sized pieces. Deseed the green bell pepper and slice it into strips, matching the length of the other vegetables.
Step 3
3. Prepare the squid. After cleaning, remove the skin and slice the squid body into long, thin strips, about 0.5cm thick. Slicing them too thinly might cause them to break apart during cooking, so aim for a moderate thickness.
Step 4
4. Let’s make the Yu Sanseul sauce. In a deep bowl, combine 1 and 1/2 cups (300ml) water, 2 Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, and 2 and 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch). Whisk everything together until smooth and well combined, ensuring there are no lumps of starch. Pre-mixing the starch is key to a smooth sauce.
Step 5
5. Now, stir-fry all the ingredients to complete the Yu Sanseul Deopbap. Heat 2 Tbsp of cooking oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add 3 Tbsp minced green onion and 1/3 Tbsp minced garlic, and stir-fry for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Add the marinated pork and sliced squid, and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes until the pork turns white and is partially cooked. Once the pork is mostly cooked, add all the prepared mushrooms (king oyster, oyster, enoki), onion, and green bell pepper. Continue to stir-fry over high heat for about 1 minute to keep the vegetables crisp. Pour in the prepared Yu Sanseul sauce and bring to a boil over high heat. As the sauce bubbles and starts to thicken, reduce the heat to low, drizzle in about 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, and give it a quick toss to combine. Your delicious Yu Sanseul Deopbap is ready! Tip: Before adding the sesame oil, taste the sauce and add a little salt if needed. Also, since the cornstarch is already mixed into the sauce, there’s no need to make a separate starch slurry. Serve generously over a bowl of freshly cooked hot rice and enjoy!
