Tri-Color Root Vegetable & Anchovy Rice Pot (Sot-Bap)
[Nutritious Three-Color Sot-Bap] Enjoy the natural sweetness of root vegetables and the umami of anchovies in this healthy and nourishing rice pot dish, perfect for all ages!
Discover the healthiest and most delicious way to enjoy burdock root, a nutritious root vegetable packed with benefits. This recipe brings together ingredients that are both good for you and pair wonderfully in flavor. Cooked in a cast-iron pot, the natural sweetness from various vegetable broths and the savory depth of anchovies infuse deeply into whole grains, creating a truly comforting and flavorful meal. Even picky eaters who dislike vegetables will find themselves enjoying a bowl of this three-color sot-bap, packed with the goodness of vegetables.
Main Ingredients- Burdock root 2 pieces
- Carrot 1/4 piece
- Dried anchovies (small) 1 handful (approx. 30g)
- Cabbage 2 handfuls (approx. 100g)
- Processed brown rice (slashed) 1/2 cup (approx. 80g)
- Pearl barley groats 1/2 cup (approx. 80g)
- Olive oil 1 Tbsp
- Eggs 2
Seasoning Sauce- Soy sauce 2 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 2 Tbsp
- Minced garlic 2 tsp
- Honey 1 tsp
- Red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp
- Olive oil 1 Tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds 1 Tbsp
- Scallions (chopped) 1 handful (approx. 15g)
- Soy sauce 2 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 2 Tbsp
- Minced garlic 2 tsp
- Honey 1 tsp
- Red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp
- Olive oil 1 Tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds 1 Tbsp
- Scallions (chopped) 1 handful (approx. 15g)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the pearl barley groats and processed brown rice thoroughly, place them in a bowl, and soak for 10 minutes. (While regular whole grains require longer soaking, these pre-steamed and slashed grains only need about 10 minutes to become tender.)
Step 2
Scrub the burdock root clean without peeling; the skin is rich in beneficial compounds like saponins, lignins, and minerals. Lignin, an antioxidant, is especially potent when finely chopped. Finely slice one burdock root and finely mince the other.
Step 3
Peel and thinly slice the carrot into strips, similar in length to the burdock root.
Step 4
Wash and coarsely chop the cabbage. Slicing all vegetables to a similar size ensures even cooking.
Step 5
Now, prepare to cook the rice. Heat a cast-iron pot over high heat. Add the soaked pearl barley and brown rice, and pour in enough water to cover the grains by about one finger joint’s depth (approximately a 1:1.2 rice-to-water ratio).
Step 6
In a separate dry pan, heat over medium-low heat. Add the dried anchovies and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. This process enhances their nutty flavor and reduces any bitterness.
Step 7
To the boiling water in the cast-iron pot, add the sliced and minced burdock root, sliced carrots, stir-fried anchovies, and 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Cover the pot and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. This initial high-heat cooking helps to extract flavors into the broth.
Step 8
After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low, keep the lid on, and let it simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked through. Slow simmering is key to achieving perfectly textured rice.
Step 9
While the rice is cooking, prepare fried eggs to your liking. Sunny-side up or over easy eggs are great for mixing into the rice.
Step 10
While the rice is steaming, combine all the seasoning sauce ingredients (soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, honey, red pepper flakes) in a small bowl. Using honey instead of sugar adds a pleasant, mellow sweetness. Mix well to create the flavorful sauce.
Step 11
After 20 minutes, when the rice is almost done, add the chopped cabbage on top of the rice. Cover the pot again and let it steam for an additional 5 minutes. The cabbage will become tender and impart its natural sweetness to the rice.
Step 12
Your delicious Burdock Root, Carrot, and Anchovy Sot-Bap is ready! Gently mix the rice, then serve with the prepared seasoning sauce, fried egg, chopped scallions, and toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy this wholesome and perfectly balanced rice pot dish, featuring the crisp texture of burdock root, the savory umami of anchovies, and the healthy goodness of whole grains!
