How to Make Delicious Oyster Hot Pot Rice (Gyeol Sot Bap)
A Detailed Recipe for Flavorful Oyster Hot Pot Rice
This recipe introduces how to make Oyster Hot Pot Rice, where the savory flavor of fresh, seasonal oysters permeates every grain of rice. It’s a hearty and satisfying meal that’s delicious even with just the seasoned soy sauce, without needing many side dishes. Tongyeong, Korea, boasts an ideal environment for oyster farming, allowing us to enjoy high-quality oysters affordably, especially in winter. Oysters are so prized in some European countries that they’re considered a luxury to even fry. So, why not try making this delightful hot pot rice with seasonal winter oysters? It’s a wonderful way to use up any leftover oysters and create a magnificent dish.
Oyster Hot Pot Rice Ingredients- 200g fresh oysters
- 1.5 cups short-grain rice (you can mix in some barley)
- 1 sheet dried kelp (dashima, approx. 10cm x 10cm)
- 5 stalks green onions
- 1 shiitake mushroom
Oyster Cleaning Ingredients- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Seasoning Sauce Ingredients- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp mirin (cooking sake)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes, fine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion (optional)
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Seasoning Sauce Ingredients- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp mirin (cooking sake)
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes, fine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thoroughly rinse the rice. Add water to 1.5 cups of rice and let it soak for about 30 minutes. (I added a little barley while soaking the rice. You can also mix rice with barley, brown rice, etc., according to your preference.)
Step 2
Remove the tough stems from the shiitake mushroom and finely dice it. Finely chop the 5 green onion stalks. Preparing the ingredients in advance like this will make the cooking process much smoother.
Step 3
Place the oysters in a colander and rinse them lightly under running water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and gently stir to clean them. This step removes impurities and mud from the oysters. If dark water comes out, rinse them 1-2 more times until the water runs clear. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and gently massage them to help remove any fishy odor. After washing, drain the oysters thoroughly in the colander.
Step 4
Transfer the soaked rice to your rice cooker pot and mix in the diced shiitake mushroom. For the cooking water, use a 1:1 ratio of rice to water, but for hot pot rice, it’s best to add slightly more water to ensure the rice grains are fluffy and separate. If you want to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot, place a sheet of dried kelp (dashima) on top of the rice before cooking. If you enjoy crispy rice (nurungji), you can cook it without the kelp. Alternatively, adding a small piece of dashima inside the rice while cooking can enhance the umami flavor.
Step 5
Press the cook button on your rice cooker. Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lower the heat to the lowest setting and let it steam for 10 minutes. This slow steaming process helps to make the rice grains tender.
Step 6
When the steaming time is almost up, evenly spread the cleaned and drained oysters over the cooked rice. Then, continue to steam on low heat for about 5 more minutes to cook the oysters. Be careful not to overcook them, as they can become tough.
Step 7
After 5 minutes, open the lid to reveal the perfectly cooked, fluffy Oyster Hot Pot Rice! Sprinkle the chopped green onions generously over the rice.
Step 8
Gently mix the rice with the oysters and vegetables using a rice paddle, being careful not to mash the grains. Serve the appetizing Oyster Hot Pot Rice in bowls.
Step 9
Now, let’s make the savory seasoning sauce that pairs perfectly with the Oyster Hot Pot Rice! In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, gochugaru, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped green onion (optional). Mix well. You can adjust the amount of soy sauce or gochugaru to your taste.
Step 10
Mixing this flavorful sauce into the plump, oyster-filled hot pot rice is an absolute delight! For an even more incredible meal, enjoy it with some crispy roasted seaweed. This seasonal Oyster Hot Pot Rice is a must-try for a healthy and delicious meal!
