Spring Delight: Nutritious Seaweed and Bean Sprout Rice with Fresh Wild Chives Sauce
Nourishing Seaweed and Bean Sprout Rice with Aromatic Wild Chives Sauce – Perfect for a Spring Appetite
This is a nutritious rice dish that parents will surely love, especially when their appetite is lacking during spring. We cook rice with ‘thood’ (seaweed) and bean sprouts, which are excellent for cleaning blood vessels, and pair it with a savory sauce made with fresh wild chives. It’s a meal filled with the fragrance of spring.
Main Ingredients- Fresh ‘thood’ (seaweed) – 1 ladleful
- Bean sprouts – 1/3 bag
Wild Chives Sauce- Wild chives – 1/3 bunch
- Minced green onion – 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic – 1 clove (about 1 tsp)
- Korean soy sauce (Joseon Ganjang) – 4 tsp
- Seasoned soy sauce (Mat Ganjang) – 1 tsp
- Plum extract – 1 Tbsp
- Red pepper flakes – 1 tsp
- Sesame seeds (ground) – 1 tsp
- Whole sesame seeds – 1 tsp
- Sesame oil – 1 tsp (to taste, per person)
- Wild chives – 1/3 bunch
- Minced green onion – 1 Tbsp
- Minced garlic – 1 clove (about 1 tsp)
- Korean soy sauce (Joseon Ganjang) – 4 tsp
- Seasoned soy sauce (Mat Ganjang) – 1 tsp
- Plum extract – 1 Tbsp
- Red pepper flakes – 1 tsp
- Sesame seeds (ground) – 1 tsp
- Whole sesame seeds – 1 tsp
- Sesame oil – 1 tsp (to taste, per person)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Gently rub the fresh ‘thood’ (seaweed) with coarse salt to clean it thoroughly. Rinse it under clean water a couple of times to remove any dirt or impurities.
Step 2
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Briefly blanch the cleaned seaweed for just about 5 seconds – overcooking can make it mushy. Immediately plunge it into cold water to cool, then drain it well in a colander.
Step 3
Rinse the bean sprouts under running water about three times until they are clean. Drain them thoroughly in a colander.
Step 4
When adding water for cooking the rice, use slightly less than you normally would. This is to prevent the rice from becoming too soggy, considering the moisture from the seaweed and bean sprouts.
Step 5
Pour the measured water into the rice cooker. First, evenly spread the prepared seaweed at the bottom of the pot. Then, layer the bean sprouts on top of the seaweed.
Step 6
Now, select the ‘white rice’ cooking setting and start the cooking process. Since you’ve added bean sprouts and seaweed, using a ‘quick cook’ or ‘short time’ function is recommended.
Step 7
It’s time to prepare the aromatic wild chives sauce. Wash the roots of the wild chives gently with a toothbrush to ensure they are clean. Scrape off any rough outer skin from the roots with a knife.
Step 8
Chop the green leafy parts of the wild chives into approximately 2 cm lengths. Finely mince the white root sections.
Step 9
Mince 1 tablespoon of green onion and 1 clove of medium-sized garlic.
Step 10
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the wild chives sauce: the prepared wild chives, minced green onion, minced garlic, Korean soy sauce, seasoned soy sauce, plum extract, red pepper flakes, ground sesame seeds, and whole sesame seeds. Mix well to create the sauce. (Do not add the sesame oil at this stage; it will be added later).
Step 11
Your delicious seaweed and bean sprout rice is perfectly cooked! Check the rice cooker to see the steaming, fluffy rice.
Step 12
Using a rice paddle, gently mix the rice with the bean sprouts and seaweed. Scoop a generous portion into a nice serving bowl.
Step 13
Serve the prepared wild chives sauce in small individual dipping bowls, allowing everyone to add their desired amount to their own rice. You can also mix the sauce directly into the rice bowl if preferred.
Step 14
Here is a simple yet heartwarming meal. We’ve accompanied it with side dishes such as stir-fried burdock root, baked tofu, stir-fried fish cakes, crispy dried seaweed, and kimchi. A warm bowl of soybean paste stew (Doenjang Guk) will complete this delightful meal.
Step 15
Spoon a generous amount of the wild chives sauce over the seaweed and bean sprout rice. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix everything together thoroughly. Try wrapping it in crispy dried seaweed for an extra special treat – it’s truly a delicacy! Enjoy the taste of spring filling your palate. ~~~* A Special Dish!!
