Kongnamul Bap (Soybean Sprout Rice)
Make a very popular rice dish in Korean home cooking: Kongnamul Bap. Also called Soybean Sprout Rice, it's a cozy and hearty dish made from rice and soybean sprouts. Add kimchi and ground pork for extra flavor. Drizzle with plenty of tangy Korean dipping sauce to make it complete!
Servings: 2
Calories: 470kcal
Equipment
- medium Claypot (optional) OR medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain white rice (uncooked)
- 1/2 cup/ 100 grams ground pork
- 1 cup/ 150 grams kimchi, chopped (preferably old and mature)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Mirin (Korean sweet cooking wine) can be subbed with Shaoxing wine, rice wine, sherry, or vermouth
- 1-2 handfuls soybean sprouts rinsed and drained
Yangnyeom Jang dipping sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (rice or white both work)
- 1 Tbsp Gochukaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Prep Rice. Rinse short grain rice 3-4 times in cold water, until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Add enough water so the rice is submered and set aside. (The rice will absorb the water as you cook, creating a better texture in the end.)
- Cook ground pork. Heat a medium claypot (or medium saucepan) over medium heat. Add 1 tsp sesame oil + 1 tsp vegetable oil. Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Break up large clumps with a spoon.
- Add kimchi, kimchi juice, soy sauce, and mirin. Cook until the flavors come together and the kimchi looks caramelized and soft, about 5 minutes. Using the back of a spoon, spread out the pork and kimchi into an even layer at the bottom of the pot.
- Add rice. Drain water from the rice. Add the rice directly on top of the kimchi and ground pork. Using the back of a spoon, gently spread rice all the way to the edges of the pot, in an even layer. Keep the heat at medium.
- Add water. Add enough water to just cover the rice. If you look eye level, the water will barely cover the rice with a grain or two sticking up here and there. Use the picture for reference.
- Add soybean sprouts. Gently add a big handful (or two) of soybean sprouts. Do not disturb the layers of rice, kimchi, and pork. When the liquid on the edges start to bubble, cover with the lid and lower heat to medium low. Cook until rice is cooked through and the soybean sprouts are wilted, about 12-14 minutes).
- Make Dipping Sauce. While the rice cooks, make the Yangneom Jang. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix. Set aside.
- Steam 5 minutes. When the rice is fully cooked and the soybean sprouts are wilted, remove from heat. Keep covered and let stand for 5 minutes. This extra 5 minutes of steaming is essential!
- Serve and enjoy. Remove the lid and mix the bean sprouts into the rice with a spoon. Divide evenly between two bowls and serve with Yangnyum Jeon. Enjoy!
Notes
2* To make it vegan: soak 5-6 dried shitake mushrooms in boiling water until soft, about 5-10 minutes (you can also use fresh shitakes). Then slice and use in place of ground pork. Also, make sure your kimchi is vegan (no shrimp paste or fish sauce).
6* The amount of bean sprouts is up to you. I like a lot -- 2 big handfuls. Some people like less. For the bare minimum, 1 handful is good.
Nutrition
Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 1650mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1247IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg