Rice Recipes
334 recipes. Page 2 of 14
Rice is the foundation of Korean cuisine, appearing not only as steamed white rice but also as fried rice, bibimbap, clay-pot rice (sotbap), and gimbap rolls. Porridge (juk) - made by slow-cooking rice into a silky consistency - is comfort food for cold days or when you need something gentle on the stomach. Abalone porridge, pumpkin porridge, and chicken porridge are all classics.
Hoshi-mochi (Winter Freeze-Dried Rice Cakes)
Hoshi-mochi is a winter-preserved rice cake from Tsugaru in Aomori. A 4.5 kg batch of glutinous rice is steamed and pounded with more added water than ordinary mochi, seasoned with sugar, salt, and sesame, cut thin, braided into long strands with rice straw, dipped once in water on a bitterly cold day, frozen outdoors, and wind-dried for about two months. Repeated freezing and drying remove internal moisture and create a light porous structure, giving the alternative name kori-mochi. Long curtain-like rows under household eaves once defined February in Goshogawara, and each family had a person responsible for reading the weather and choosing the right day. The cakes may be eaten dry and crisp, lightly toasted to reveal rice sweetness, brushed with butter soy sauce, or fried. Success depends on sustained subzero cold, low humidity, clean airflow, and patient inspection.
Korean Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice
Bacon kimchi fried rice takes the most common Korean leftover combination - cold rice and aging kimchi - and substitutes rendered bacon fat for the traditional sesame oil base. The bacon goes into a cold pan and cooks slowly so the fat renders completely before the meat crisps, creating a pool of smoky drippings that replace cooking oil entirely. Well-fermented kimchi, squeezed of excess juice and chopped roughly, goes into the hot fat and sizzles until its edges caramelize and the sharp lactic tartness mellows into a deeper, roasted sourness. Day-old rice is pressed flat against the pan to develop a crust reminiscent of nurungji - the scorched rice layer that fried rice enthusiasts seek. Soy sauce and a pinch of sugar season the dish, though both should be used in small amounts to avoid masking the interplay between the bacon's smokiness and the kimchi's fermented character. A fried egg on top, with a yolk still runny, becomes a sauce when broken and stirred through the rice. Bacon became a standard Korean grocery item in the 2000s, and this dish has since become a common home-cooking variation, with many cooks preferring its deeper, smokier flavor profile over the sesame oil original.
Koppa Mochi (Dried Sweet Potato Rice Cake)
Koppa mochi is an Amakusa rice cake from Kumamoto made by steaming glutinous rice separately from koppa, sweet potato slices that were boiled and sun-dried for storage. Both are mashed and pounded together with brown sugar, white sugar, and salt, then pressed into a thick slab to firm. The food grew from island households preserving sweet potatoes for later use. It is sliced and eaten while soft, then grilled or reheated after it hardens. Chewy rice carries the concentrated sweetness and fibers of dried sweet potato, while two sugars keep the cake dense and moist.
Korean Napa Cabbage Doenjang Porridge
Baechu doenjang juk is a Korean porridge where soaked rice is first toasted in sesame oil before any liquid is added, building a nutty foundation that plain boiled rice cannot provide. The doenjang is dissolved and strained through a fine-mesh sieve directly into anchovy stock so the finished porridge stays smooth without chalky bits of fermented paste. Finely chopped napa cabbage and onion go in with the strained stock: the onion melts quietly into the broth as it cooks, contributing a background sweetness, while the cabbage softens until it nearly disappears into the porridge's texture. Stirring frequently over medium-low heat for at least twenty minutes is what allows the rice grains to break down evenly and merge with the liquid rather than sitting as distinct kernels in thin broth. Skipping the initial oil-toasting step and adding raw soaked rice directly causes the starch to release unevenly, producing a porridge that sticks to the bottom of the pot and tastes flat. A drop of sesame oil and a final seasoning with guk-ganjang complete the dish. The result is a bowl that feels gentle on the stomach while carrying the full fermented complexity and depth of doenjang - suitable as a light meal or a restorative dish during recovery.
Mango Sticky Rice
Mango sticky rice is Thailand's most beloved dessert, built on nothing more than three ingredients - glutinous rice, coconut milk, and ripe mango - yet delivering a complexity that belies its simplicity. The rice is steamed, then soaked in warm coconut milk sweetened with sugar and tempered with a pinch of salt, which keeps the dish from being one-dimensionally sweet. Slices of ripe mango, ideally the fragrant Nam Dok Mai variety, are laid alongside the warm rice. A drizzle of thickened coconut cream on top ties everything together, and a scattering of toasted mung beans or sesame seeds adds a final nutty note. The dish is at its peak between April and June when mangoes are at their sweetest.
Korean Napa Cabbage Tofu Porridge
A gentle Korean rice porridge built from napa cabbage and soft tofu - mild enough for a recovering stomach, substantial enough to be a proper meal. The rice is first stir-fried in sesame oil, coating each grain in a thin film of fat that releases a quiet, nutty fragrance as the grains slowly swell and break down. Minced garlic is added at this stage and cooked through so its raw sharpness disappears into the base. Vegetable stock and finely chopped cabbage follow, and the pot simmers at medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the grains dissolve completely into a thick, uniform porridge. During this process, the cabbage sheds its moisture into the broth, gently sweetening it without any added sugar. Tofu crumbled by hand is stirred in during the last five minutes, dispersing evenly to create a smooth, soft protein layer throughout. Seasoning is deliberately light - just guk-ganjang and salt - to let the cabbage sweetness and the tofu's quiet richness carry the flavor. No heavy oils or pungent spices. This is porridge for days when the body needs something undemanding, or when plain, clean food is exactly what the moment calls for.
Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is made by simmering short-grain rice in milk over low heat, stirring regularly, until the grains swell and release their starch into the surrounding liquid. The result is a thick, porridge-like dessert with a creamy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Vanilla extract infuses the dairy base with a warm, floral note, and a pour of heavy cream near the end pushes the richness further. A dusting of ground cinnamon on top adds an aromatic layer that greets the nose before the first spoonful reaches the mouth. The most common pitfall is scorching - rice and milk on a hot surface stick and burn quickly, so frequent scraping with a wooden spoon is non-negotiable. Because the pudding continues to thicken as it cools, pulling it off the heat when it looks slightly thinner than desired yields the best final texture. Served warm, it feels like a hug in a bowl; chilled overnight, it sets firmer and develops a denser, more custard-like character.
Korean Clam and Radish Pot Rice
Baekhap mu sotbap is a Korean pot rice dish where soaked rice is cooked with radish, shiitake mushrooms, and hard clam meat using kelp-infused water. The kelp water establishes a deeper umami base than plain water, and the glutamic acid released by shiitake mushrooms compounds with the clams' briny character to build layered savory depth. Radish sits on top of the rice and steams as the pot cooks, losing moisture while concentrating its natural sweetness into the surrounding grains. The clam meat must be added just before the resting phase rather than at the start, because prolonged heat toughens shellfish; residual steam finishes the cooking gently while keeping the clams firm. The resting period is critical - ten minutes with the lid sealed after the flame is turned off allows steam to redistribute evenly through the rice and all the toppings. A seasoning sauce of soy sauce, sesame oil, and chopped scallion is mixed in at the table, adding a salty richness that ties the seafood and vegetable components together. Hard clams require thorough purging before use; soaking in salted water for at least two hours removes sand, and any clam that does not open during this process should be discarded.
Tokyo Sakura Mochi with Cherry Leaf
Tokyo-style sakura mochi is an Edo confection that cooks a thin oval pancake from wheat flour and shiratamako, wraps it around smooth red bean paste, and encloses it again in a salt-preserved Oshima cherry leaf. Tradition dates it to 1717, when Shinroku Yamamoto, working near Chomeiji by the Sumida riverbank, salted fallen cherry leaves gathered during cleanup and used them to wrap sweets for blossom viewers. Shiratamako is first smoothed with water before sifted flour and sugar form a flowing batter. Half stays white and half is tinted the palest pink, producing four pancakes of each color over low heat. They must wrap the bean paste while warm and flexible. Strongly salted food-grade leaves are soaked, passed briefly through hot water, and dried. Placing the veined underside outward lets their aroma perfume the delicate wrapper and bean filling.
Plain Korean Rice Porridge
Baekjuk is the most fundamental Korean porridge, made with nothing more than soaked rice and water cooked together over a long, slow heat. Toasting the rice in sesame oil before adding liquid coats each grain in a thin fat layer that slows starch release, preventing the porridge from turning excessively glutinous while laying down a nutty, roasted aroma as the foundation of the dish. Water is added at six to seven times the volume of rice, brought to a boil, then reduced to the lowest heat and stirred continuously for at least thirty minutes. Over that time the grains break down entirely into a smooth, pourable consistency. Regular scraping with a wooden spatula is not optional - without it, the bottom scorches and changes both the taste and color of the porridge. Seasoning is held to a minimum of salt alone to let the natural sweetness of the rice come through, with shredded dried seaweed and sliced scallion placed on top for small bursts of contrast. A single drop of sesame oil added just before serving closes the dish with a clean, nutty fragrance. The porridge has long been used as a recovery meal for unsettled stomachs and low appetite, and it pairs easily with nearly any Korean side dish to become a complete meal.
Sanbai Miso Steamed Red Bean Rice Cake
Sanbai miso is a dense steamed rice cake from southern Akita, made by working smooth azuki paste with sugar and coarse crystal sugar, then combining it with glutinous and non-glutinous rice flours. Despite miso in the name, the transmitted modern formula contains no soybean paste. One explanation links the name to measuring three principal ingredients by the bowl, while another points to the miso-like appearance of the mixed dough. The bean paste is stirred for about an hour so its moisture and sweetness become even, cooled completely, and only then kneaded with sifted flours. Thirty minutes in a fully steaming cooker sets the cake before it is shaped with a bamboo mat, cooled, and sliced. It was shared from stacked boxes at family gatherings and during breaks in busy farming seasons.
Korean Clam Pot Rice (Savory Clam Broth Cooked Rice Bowl)
Bajirak sotbap is a Korean pot rice where every grain is cooked in clam broth and topped with shucked clam meat just before serving. Purged clams are simmered with a piece of dried kelp until they open, then removed and shucked while the broth is strained through a fine sieve. The kelp contributes glutamic acid that reinforces the clam's natural umami, producing a cooking liquid with a depth that plain water cannot provide. This clam stock infuses every grain of rice as it cooks, embedding a marine character throughout. The rice, soaked for at least thirty minutes to ensure even absorption, goes into the pot with the measured clam broth and cooks over a sequence of high, medium, and low heat. Holding on low heat for an extra five minutes forms a thin nurungji - a lightly caramelized crust at the bottom - whose toasted aroma rises through the lid. During the resting phase, the shucked clam meat is placed on top of the rice so residual heat warms it through without further cooking; since the clams were already cooked once, additional heat would toughen them. A soy sauce and sesame oil dipping sauce is mixed into the rice at the table. The most memorable moment of the dish is lifting the lid, when the concentrated clam fragrance escapes in a sudden rush. After the rice is eaten, adding hot water to the pot dissolves the nurungji layer into a light, smoky scorched-rice tea that serves as a natural closer to the meal.
Karaimo Nettabo (Sweet Potato Pounded Mochi)
Sweet potato pounded mochi combines steamed sweet potato and softened mochi while both are hot, pounds them into one uniform dough, and coats eight portions with sweetened kinako. Peel 600g sweet potato and cut it into 3cm pieces. After a 5-minute soak in cold water, drain the pieces well. Spread them in a steamer without piling them up and cook over medium-high heat for 18 minutes. When a skewer can almost pass through the sweet potato, place 200g mochi pieces over the top without letting them touch one another. Steam for another 7 to 10 minutes. Move on when the skewer reaches the center of the potato freely and the mochi has softened enough to stretch. Transfer both ingredients to a pounding bowl before they cool. Wet the pestle and pound for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the mass as needed, until no white mochi pieces or separate yellow potato lumps remain. The dough should have one continuous color and texture, with no visible pockets of either ingredient. Mix 50g roasted soybean flour, 50g sugar, and 1g salt across a wide tray. Dampen your hands, divide the warm dough into eight portions, and roll every surface in the kinako mixture. Set the coated pieces apart so they do not stick together and cool them for 10 minutes. The coating should dry the tacky exterior while the center remains soft and stretchy. Mochi requires careful eating: cut each portion into small bites and chew slowly. Make still smaller pieces for children and older adults and supervise them while they eat.
Dried Bottle Gourd Gimbap
Bakgoji gimbap braises rehydrated dried bottle-gourd strips in soy sauce and syrup, then rolls them with egg and pickled radish in seasoned rice and seaweed. Rinse 30 g dried gourd in cold water and soak it in lukewarm water for 20 minutes until flexible through the center. Boil the soaked strips for 5 minutes, rinse them in cold water, and squeeze firmly to remove retained moisture. Combine 30 ml soy sauce, 20 ml corn syrup, and 100 ml water in a pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the gourd and simmer for about 15 minutes so it absorbs the seasoning. Raise the heat at the end and cook off the remaining liquid until the strips look glazed rather than wet. Excess liquid inside the roll would soften both the rice and the seaweed. Beat 2 eggs with part of the salt, cook a thin omelet, and cut it into long strips. Prepare 2 strips of pickled radish to fit the length of the rolls. Season 300 g cooked rice with 15 ml sesame oil, 5 g sesame seeds, and the remaining amount within the listed 3 g salt, folding without crushing the grains. Place each of the 2 seaweed sheets dry side up and spread the rice in a thin, even layer, leaving enough room at the far edge to close the roll. Arrange the braised gourd, egg, and radish in a straight line. Lift the near edge over the filling, tighten that first turn, and continue rolling with even pressure so no section is loose. Rest each roll seam-side down until it holds. Lightly coat the knife with sesame oil and cut into consistent pieces without pressing the roll flat.
Korean Chestnut Rice (Nutty Sweet Autumn Pot Rice)
Bam bap is a Korean seasonal rice dish cooked with freshly harvested chestnuts, combining the starchy comfort of white rice with the earthy sweetness of autumn chestnuts. Peeled chestnuts are placed on top of soaked rice before cooking, and as the water absorbs into the grains, chestnut starch gradually dissolves into the cooking liquid, infusing each grain with a subtle sweetness and a faintly mealy texture characteristic of the nut. Black sesame seeds sprinkled over the cooked rice add a toasted nuttiness. The dish uses only salt for seasoning, so the flavor of the chestnuts remains the primary element. A small dish of soy-based dipping sauce on the side allows each person to season individual spoonfuls as needed. Cutting the chestnuts into halves or quarters distributes their flavor more evenly throughout the pot than leaving them whole. Soaking the chestnuts in cold water before peeling helps remove astringency from the inner skin, which should be removed completely to avoid bitterness. A pressure cooker shortens the cooking time and helps the chestnut flavor penetrate the rice more thoroughly. The dish is best made with fresh chestnuts in autumn, when their natural sweetness peaks.
Bao Zai Fan (Cantonese Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage)
Bao zai fan - claypot rice - is a Cantonese winter dish served in Hong Kong dai pai dong stalls and Guangzhou old-quarter restaurants for well over a century. Raw rice cooks directly in a heated clay vessel with Chinese sausage, cured meats, or marinated chicken layered on top; their rendered fats drip down and season the grains as they absorb liquid. Clay retains heat well after leaving the flame, continuing to toast the bottom layer of rice into a golden, crackling crust called fan jiu - the most coveted part of the whole dish. A sauce of dark soy, light soy, sugar, and sesame oil is poured over at the table and stirred through, staining the white rice amber and releasing a rush of caramelized soy fragrance. Within a single pot, textures shift from sticky-soft grains on top through a chewy middle layer to a shattering crust at the bottom - a range that has kept claypot rice central to Cantonese comfort eating despite the patience it demands.
Beet Risotto
Beet risotto is made by toasting unwashed Arborio rice with onion and garlic, coating it with beet puree, and gradually working warm vegetable stock into the grains before finishing with butter and Parmesan. Risotto rice is left unwashed because its surface starch is needed to bind the liquid into a creamy sauce. Cook the onion and garlic gently in olive oil and part of the butter, add the rice, and stir until the edges of the grains look translucent. White wine follows; let its sharp alcoholic aroma cook away before introducing the smooth beet puree, which colors and seasons the rice evenly. Keep the vegetable stock warm in a separate pot and add it one ladle at a time, waiting until most of each addition has been absorbed before adding more. Frequent gentle stirring releases starch without breaking the grains. Pouring in all the stock at once or using excessively high heat makes it difficult to coordinate the texture of the rice with the thickness of the surrounding sauce. Stop when the center of each grain still has a slight resistance. Off the heat, stir in the remaining butter and Parmesan so the residual warmth emulsifies them rather than making the cheese oily. On the plate, the risotto should spread slowly instead of standing as a stiff mound. Earthy beet, savory cheese, and butter form the main flavor, and a few drops of lemon juice can sharpen the finish if desired.
Korean Mushroom Perilla Seed Risotto
King oyster and button mushrooms are sauteed with onion and garlic, then Arborio rice is slowly cooked in warm vegetable stock, one ladle at a time, until the grains release their starch into a creamy consistency. Perilla seed powder and grated Parmesan are folded in at the very end, merging Italian creaminess with the distinctive roasted-nut flavor of Korean perilla. The key is keeping the stock warm throughout so the rice cooks evenly without seizing, and adding perilla powder last to preserve its volatile aroma. Even without meat, the mushrooms provide substantial umami depth and the perilla adds a rich, nutty finish.
Beoseot Juk
Beoseot juk is a rice porridge made with 1 cup short-grain rice, 150 grams shiitake mushrooms, and 80 grams onion. Rinse the rice, soak it for 30 minutes in cold water, and drain it in a sieve. Chop the mushrooms and onion finely so they cook at a similar rate. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a pot over medium heat and cook the onion and mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add the soaked rice and stir for 2 more minutes. Pour in 1000 milliliters water, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 22 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. Stir occasionally to keep the bottom from sticking and watch for the rice grains to open as the liquid thickens. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, then continue over low heat for 5 minutes. Check that the porridge falls slowly from a spoon before transferring it to bowls. The method separates the initial sauté, the water-based rice cooking, and the final seasoning so the consistency can be checked before and after the soy sauce is added.
Beoseot Sundubu Juk
Beoseot sundubu juk uses 0.75 cup soaked rice, 80 grams shiitake, 60 grams onion, and 300 grams soft tofu. Rinse the rice, soak it for 30 minutes in cold water, and drain it in a strainer for 10 minutes. Finely chop the mushroom and onion, but leave the tofu intact so it can be added later in large spoonfuls. Heat 1 tablespoon perilla oil over medium heat, cook the mushroom and onion for 2 minutes, and stir in the drained rice for 1 minute. Add 900 milliliters kelp stock in 2 or 3 portions, stirring after each addition, and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. When the rice has opened and a spoon trail briefly remains, reduce the heat to low. Drop in the tofu in large pieces and season with 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce and 0.3 teaspoon salt. Warm for 3 minutes without rough stirring, then finish with 1 tablespoon chopped scallion. Adding the tofu only after the rice has thickened and limiting the final stirring keeps larger tofu pieces in the porridge.
Bibimbap
This bibimbap arranges four separately cooked vegetables, seasoned beef, and two fried eggs over 400 g warm rice. Spinach and bean sprouts are blanched in salted water for 1 to 2 minutes, cooled, and squeezed dry. The carrot and zucchini are cut into thin strips and sauteed separately so each vegetable reaches the bowl with its own texture. The 150 g ground beef is seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and sugar for 10 minutes, then stir-fried over high heat for 2 minutes. A mixing sauce made with 2 tbsp gochujang, sugar, sesame oil, and water is served with the assembled bowl. Add only as much sauce as needed and mix immediately before eating. The method explains where to remove moisture, which ingredients need separate pans, and how to assemble the rice, vegetables, beef, and eggs without adding a stone bowl or other equipment that the recipe does not use.
Korean Barley Rice with Namul
Korean barley rice with namul pairs equal portions of soaked barley and white rice with seasoned radish, soybean sprouts, and spinach. Barley absorbs water more slowly than polished rice, so soaking the grains together before using the standard rice-cooker cycle helps the barley cook through without leaving a hard center. The cooked bowl should retain the softness of white rice while giving a distinct, springy bite from individual barley grains. Each vegetable contributes a different texture: radish is tender and juicy, soybean sprouts add a clean crunch, and spinach brings a soft leafy finish. Drain the namul well after blanching and seasoning so excess liquid does not collect beneath the rice or weaken the sauce. For seasoning, choose either thick gang-doenjang simmered with minced garlic and a little water or gochujang, then add sesame oil just before mixing. Gang-doenjang produces a deeper fermented, savory bowl, while gochujang gives the rice a clearer chili heat and sweetness. Begin with a small amount of either paste and fold the ingredients together rather than crushing them; more seasoning can be added after tasting. Served warm, this is a complete mixed-rice meal in which chewy grain, several vegetables, fermented paste, and aromatic sesame oil remain easy to identify in every spoonful.
Bossam Kimchi Deopbap
Bossam kimchi deopbap is made by stir-frying 220 g boiled pork, 160 g bossam kimchi, and 80 g onion, then serving the mixture over 400 g warm rice. Cut the pork into 3 to 4 cm pieces, chop the kimchi coarsely with its stuffing, and slice the onion to 0.5 cm. The sauce uses 1 tbsp each of gochujang, soy sauce, oligosaccharide syrup, and sesame oil. Cook the onion in 1 tbsp cooking oil for 2 minutes, add the pork and kimchi for another 2 minutes, then pour in the sauce and reduce it for 3 minutes. If the kimchi releases enough liquid to make the topping loose, cook it for 1 additional minute before spooning it onto the rice. Finish the two bowls with 15 g sliced scallion. The recipe does not use an egg or any topping beyond the listed ingredients.
Brown Rice Buddha Bowl
Brown rice Buddha bowl builds on a base of cooked brown rice, with pan-seared tofu and an arrangement of broccoli, carrot, red cabbage, and avocado placed in separate sections across the bowl. Brown rice has a coarser texture and a more pronounced, nutty grain flavor than white rice, and the chew brings out a mild sweetness that increases the longer it is worked. The tofu is pressed dry before searing so the exterior crisps properly in the pan while the center stays soft, giving a dual texture that holds up under the weight of the toppings. A soy and sesame oil dressing pulls the disparate ingredients together under a single Asian flavor profile, and the avocado contributes creamy fat that smooths out the drier components like the grain and the seared tofu. Keeping each ingredient in its own section preserves the visual contrast and lets each one hold its texture; mixing is done at the table according to the eater preference. The bowl covers protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables in a single serving.
About Rice
A bowl of freshly steamed rice with a drizzle of sesame oil and a fried egg makes a satisfying meal on its own. Leftover rice transforms into fried rice or crispy nurungji (scorched rice), both beloved staples.