Nutritious Seaweed and Soybean Sprout Rice with Flavorful Wild Chive Sauce
A Symphony of Flavors: Seaweed and Soybean Sprout Rice Elevated by a Zesty Wild Chive Sauce
Experience a delightful meal where the oceanic nutrition of seaweed meets the satisfying crunch of soybean sprouts, enhanced by the aromatic essence of wild chives. This dish is a complete and healthy one-bowl wonder.
For the Rice- 2 cups rice (Korean standard measuring cup)
- 2/3 cup mixed grains (Korean standard measuring cup)
- 1 cup seaweed (cleaned and trimmed)
- 2.5 cups water from boiling soybean sprouts (for cooking rice)
- 1 Tbsp brown rice oil
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
For the Crunchy Soybean Sprouts- 300g soybean sprouts
- 3 cups water (for boiling soybean sprouts)
- Kelp (approx. 10cm x 10cm piece, for boiling with sprouts)
For the Aromatic Wild Chive Sauce- 1 bunch fresh wild chives (roots trimmed, cleaned)
- 1/4 ripe tomato (seeds removed, finely diced)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 4 Tbsp seasoned soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
- 1-2 Tbsp omija extract or concentrate (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp Yu Geun Pi Jocheong (Korean herbal syrup) or corn syrup
- Sesame seeds (toasted, for garnish)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp perilla oil (optional, for added aroma)
- 300g soybean sprouts
- 3 cups water (for boiling soybean sprouts)
- Kelp (approx. 10cm x 10cm piece, for boiling with sprouts)
For the Aromatic Wild Chive Sauce- 1 bunch fresh wild chives (roots trimmed, cleaned)
- 1/4 ripe tomato (seeds removed, finely diced)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 4 Tbsp seasoned soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
- 1-2 Tbsp omija extract or concentrate (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp Yu Geun Pi Jocheong (Korean herbal syrup) or corn syrup
- Sesame seeds (toasted, for garnish)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp perilla oil (optional, for added aroma)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by thoroughly washing the soybean sprouts. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a pot. Add the washed soybean sprouts to the boiling water (do not add salt). For enhanced flavor and to reduce any raw taste, add a piece of kelp while boiling the sprouts. Once the sprouts are cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the cooking water and measure out 2.5 cups to use as the rice cooking liquid.
Step 2
Wash the rice and mixed grains and soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. In the rice cooker, combine the soaked rice and grains. Spread the prepared seaweed (blanched if using pre-cooked) evenly over the rice. Add the reserved 2.5 cups of soybean sprout cooking water as your rice water. Adjust the water level as you normally would for cooking rice.
Step 3
Drizzle 1 Tbsp of brown rice oil and 1 Tbsp of soy sauce for soup over the water. This helps the rice cook up fluffy and glossy, complementing the flavor of the seaweed. Cook the rice using your preferred rice cooker, preferably a pressure cooker for mixed grains, following your usual method. You can use pre-blanched and frozen seaweed, or fresh seaweed.
Step 4
Here is the beautifully cooked seaweed and soybean sprout rice. The steam rising from the freshly cooked rice is inviting.
Step 5
Once the rice is cooked, open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle. Mixing the rice prevents it from clumping and makes it fluffier, significantly improving the texture and taste. Avoid leaving the rice undisturbed after cooking, as it can become dense and difficult to serve.
Step 6
Prepare the wild chives for the sauce. Trim any tough outer skin from the root ends of the wild chives and remove any wilted parts. Wash them thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or grit. Drain them well on a colander until completely dry.
Step 7
Place the dried wild chives on a cutting board and finely chop them with a knife. Chopping them finely will help release their aromatic flavor into the sauce.
Step 8
In a bowl, combine the chopped wild chives, diced tomato (seeds removed), 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 4 Tbsp seasoned soy sauce, 1 Tbsp soy sauce for soup, 1-2 Tbsp omija extract, and 1 Tbsp Yu Geun Pi Jocheong (or corn syrup). Add toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp perilla oil (if using). Mix everything together thoroughly to create the sauce. You can adjust the saltiness by adding more soy sauce or omija extract to your preference. (Tip: Adding tomato can reduce the saltiness and add moisture to the sauce, resulting in a flavorful condiment with good texture, but this is optional and based on your preference. You can also add a little water instead of tomato.)
Step 9
Serve the warm seaweed rice with a generous portion of the cooked soybean sprouts. For an extra satisfying meal, top with a fried egg (sunny-side up or over easy). (Tip: Cooking soybean sprouts separately from the rice allows you to control the amount of sprouts you add to each serving, making it more convenient. Don’t forget to utilize the water from boiling the sprouts for cooking your rice!)
