Eggplant Rice (GajI-bap): A Delicious & Savory Recipe
From Your Favorite TV Show! Making Lee Sun-kyun’s Eggplant Rice from ‘Three Meals a Day: Mountain Village’
Introducing the ‘Eggplant Rice’ recipe that garnered rave reviews from Producer Na Young-seok, as prepared by actress Yum Jung-ah on the popular variety show ‘Three Meals a Day: Mountain Village’! This dish offers a subtly flavorful and deeply satisfying taste, distinct from other popular eggplant rice recipes. Served with freshly steamed rice and tender cooked eggplant, topped with a savory sauce, it’s a complete and hearty meal perfect for the whole family. Elevate your everyday meals or make any day feel special with this delightful dish.
Rice Cooking Ingredients- 1.5 cups rice (approx. 270g)
- 230ml water
- 1.5 medium eggplants
- 2 Tbsp minced green onion
- A little cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (Guk-ganjang)
Seasoning Sauce Ingredients- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 0.5 Tbsp red pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
- 2 Tbsp minced green onion
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 0.5 Tbsp red pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
- 2 Tbsp minced green onion
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 0.5 Tbsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse 1.5 cups of rice thoroughly. Soaking the washed rice in cold water for 30 minutes will result in fluffier, softer cooked grains. After soaking, drain the rice well in a sieve, ensuring all excess water is removed. Wash 1.5 medium eggplants, trim the ends, and slice them thinly on an angle (about 0.5cm thick). Slicing them this way ensures even cooking when mixed with the rice.
Step 2
Finely chop the green onions, including the white and green parts. You’ll need about 2 tablespoons. Sautéing the green onions will add a wonderful aroma that enhances the overall flavor of the eggplant rice.
Step 3
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a little cooking oil. Add the chopped green onions and sauté until fragrant. Once the aroma is released, add the sliced eggplants and stir-fry them together. When the eggplants start to look slightly translucent, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for soup (Guk-ganjang) and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the eggplants absorb the sauce. Using Guk-ganjang adds a deeper umami flavor.
Step 4
Now, let’s prepare the pot for cooking the rice. Add the drained rice to a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot) or a regular pot. It’s best to reduce the amount of water slightly compared to how you normally cook rice. For 1.5 cups of rice, you’d typically use 270-300ml of water, but since the eggplant will release moisture, use only 230ml of water to cook the rice. Adjusting the water level is key to preventing the eggplant rice from becoming mushy.
Step 5
Cover the ttukbaegi with its lid and bring to a boil over high heat for 4 minutes. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 more minutes. Then, evenly spread the sautéed eggplant mixture over the rice. Cover with the lid again and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes. Be careful to prevent the rice from burning during this step.
Step 6
Finally, reduce the heat to low and let it cook slowly for 15 minutes. Cooking on low heat gently ensures the rice grains remain intact and the eggplant becomes tender. After turning off the heat, keep the lid on and let it steam for 2 minutes. This steaming process will make the rice wonderfully moist and delicious.
Step 7
Now, let’s make the delicious seasoning sauce to complement your eggplant rice! First, finely mince the green onions designated for the sauce, preparing about 2 tablespoons. This is separate from the green onions used for cooking the rice.
Step 8
In a bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of soy sauce (Jin-ganjang), 0.5 tablespoon of minced garlic, 0.5 tablespoon of red pepper flakes (Gochugaru), and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds and stir everything together until well combined. Your flavorful seasoning sauce is ready! Mixing this sauce with your freshly made eggplant rice is absolutely delightful!
