Chewy Dried Eggplant Rice (Gaji-bap)
Delicious Gaji-bap Made with Chewy Dried Eggplant
We made Gaji-bap, a delicious rice dish, using dried eggplant purchased from a traditional market during a trip to Gangwon Province. The chewy texture of dried eggplant, unlike fresh eggplant, offers a distinctly richer rice experience. Enjoy this special recipe for a unique culinary treat.
Main Ingredients- Dried eggplant, 2 handfuls (approx. 100g)
- Beef (ground or thinly sliced for bulgogi) 200g
- 1 Cheongyang pepper (spicy Korean pepper)
- 1/2 stalk Green onion
- 1/4 Onion
- Rice for 4 servings (approx. 4 cups)
Soy Sauce Seasoning- 5 Tbsp Jin-ganjang (Korean soy sauce)
- 0.5 Tbsp Sugar (or plum syrup)
- 0.5 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp Toasted sesame seeds (crushed)
- 5 Tbsp Jin-ganjang (Korean soy sauce)
- 0.5 Tbsp Sugar (or plum syrup)
- 0.5 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp Minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp Toasted sesame seeds (crushed)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Soak the 2 handfuls of dried eggplant in cold water for at least half a day, or longer, until thoroughly rehydrated. Squeeze out excess water and cut the softened eggplant into bite-sized pieces, about 2-3 cm long.
Step 2
Pat the 200g of beef dry with paper towels and chop it finely. Using ground beef makes cooking much easier. If using thinly sliced beef for bulgogi, cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3
Wash the 4 servings of rice (approx. 4 cups) and place it in the rice cooker. Spread the rehydrated and cut eggplant evenly over the rice.
Step 4
Arrange all the prepared beef on top of the eggplant. Then, select the ‘Nutritious Rice’ or ‘Mixed Grains Rice’ setting on your pressure cooker to cook the rice. Cooking on the standard white rice setting is also acceptable.
Step 5
While the rice is cooking, finely chop the 1/4 onion and 1/2 green onion. Mince the 1 Cheongyang pepper finely after removing the seeds. You can adjust the amount of chili pepper to your preference for spiciness.
Step 6
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the soy sauce seasoning: 5 Tbsp Jin-ganjang, 0.5 Tbsp sugar, 0.5 Tbsp gochugaru, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp crushed toasted sesame seeds. Mix well until the sugar dissolves to create the seasoning.
Step 7
Add the finely chopped onion, green onion, and Cheongyang pepper to the prepared soy sauce seasoning. Mix everything together thoroughly. This step ensures a flavorful seasoning with fresh vegetables.
Step 8
Once the rice is cooked, skip the resting/steaming period and immediately use a rice paddle to gently mix the rice, eggplant, and beef. Be careful not to mash the rice grains.
Step 9
Serve the mixed Gaji-bap in bowls. Accompany it with the prepared soy sauce seasoning. You can pour the seasoning over the rice or mix it in to enjoy the delicious flavors.
