Exquisite Eggplant and Mushroom Rice Cooked in a Pot (Sotbap)
A Healthy and Delicious Seasonal Dish: Eggplant and Mushroom Sotbap
I always knew that rice cooked in a pot (Sotbap) was delicious, but after trying Kimchi Sotbap, I found myself craving it even more! So this time, I decided to make Eggplant and Mushroom Sotbap. I wouldn’t typically say I love eggplant, but when it’s cooked as rice, its flavor is absolutely divine. In the past, I used to add meat to eggplant rice, but I found that making it with mushrooms turned out much tastier. When mixed with a savory sauce, this dish becomes so irresistibly good that a whole pot won’t be enough! Enjoy this Eggplant and Mushroom Sotbap that will win over even those who don’t usually like eggplant. ^^
Main Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1 cup rice (approx. 180g)
- 1 cup water (same amount as rice)
- 2 Korean green chili peppers (adjust to your spice preference)
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (or soup soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp minced green onion
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (or soup soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp minced green onion
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare and Slice the Eggplant and Mushrooms: Wash the fresh eggplant thoroughly, remove the stem, and slice it lengthwise into 1cm thick pieces for a beautiful presentation on top of the rice. Slice the remaining eggplant into 0.5cm thick pieces to be cooked within the rice. Prepare your chosen mushrooms (like dried shiitake or any you prefer) by wiping them clean and slicing them to a similar size as the eggplant, or according to your preference. Finely chop the Korean green chili peppers. (You can adjust the amount of chili peppers based on your taste.)
Step 2
Make the Delicious Sauce: In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp fish sauce (you can substitute with soup soy sauce if you don’t have fish sauce), 2 Tbsp minced green onion, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix well to create a flavorful sauce. It’s incredibly delicious when mixed with the rice!
Step 3
Prepare the Rice: Rinse the 1 cup of rice thoroughly and soak it in water for about 30 minutes. Soaking the rice beforehand is crucial for fluffy and delicious pot rice. Drain the soaked rice in a colander.
Step 4
Sauté and Add Water: Place the soaked rice in the pot. Drizzle about 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil over the rice and lightly sauté it until the grains become slightly translucent. This step helps the rice grains stay separate and adds a wonderful aroma. After sautéing, add 1 cup of water, matching the amount of rice. (The amount of water can be slightly adjusted depending on the type of rice and how long it was soaked.)
Step 5
Start Cooking the Rice: Cover the pot with a lid and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 more minutes. When most of the water has evaporated and you can smell the rice cooking, turn the heat to the lowest setting.
Step 6
Add Eggplant and Mushrooms and Steam: When the rice is almost cooked, arrange the sliced eggplant and mushrooms attractively on top of the rice. If you wish to add an egg yolk, place it on top now. Cover the pot again and let it steam on the lowest heat for 5-7 minutes. During the steaming process, the moisture from the eggplant and mushrooms will infuse into the rice, making it moist and flavorful.
Step 7
Mix and Enjoy: Once the steaming is complete, transfer the pot rice to a serving bowl. Serve with the prepared sauce on the side and mix well. Enjoy the savory aroma and diverse textures of freshly cooked Eggplant and Mushroom Sotbap!
