Korean Gangwon Gondre Rice
Quick answer
Gondre, a wild thistle green long foraged in the mountains of Gangwon province, is soaked, squeezed thoroughly dry, and spread in an even layer over uncooked rice before...
What makes this special
- Gangwon gondre bap brings the herbal scent of mountain thistle greens into every grain of steamed rice.
- Gondre thistle from Gangwon highlands; fresh spring harvest has the deepest herbal scent
- Three-stage heat: high 5 min, medium-low 10 min, low 10 min for even cooking
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Wash 2 cups of rice and soak in cold water for 20 minutes.
- 2 Place the soaked rice in the pot and pour in 2 cups of water.
- 3 Heat on high for 5 minutes to bring the water to a full boil.
Gondre, a wild thistle green long foraged in the mountains of Gangwon province, is soaked, squeezed thoroughly dry, and spread in an even layer over uncooked rice before the pot goes on the heat. The three-stage cooking method, starting at high heat for five minutes, then dropping to medium-low for ten and finishing at low for ten more, followed by a ten-minute covered rest off the heat, produces evenly cooked grains infused with the greens' earthy, grassy scent. Squeezing out the soaking water is not optional; any excess moisture left in the gondre will make the rice mushy. The rice itself is deliberately plain, designed to carry a soy-based dressing of garlic, green onion, chili flakes, and sesame oil that is mixed in at the table. That dressing provides a sharp, savory contrast to the mild, herbaceous notes of the gondre. Fresh spring gondre harvested at peak season delivers the most intense fragrance, though well-soaked dried gondre comes close and extends the dish to all four seasons. Making a larger batch of the dressing allows the same pot of rice to be eaten over several days.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Wash 2 cups of rice and soak in cold water for 20 minutes.
Blanch 30g of dried gondre greens in boiling water for 5 minutes, rinse in cold water, squeeze firmly to remove moisture, and cut into 3cm lengths.
- 2Step
Place the soaked rice in the pot and pour in 2 cups of water.
Spread the squeezed gondre greens evenly over the top of the rice. Clumps of undrained greens will make localized patches of soggy rice.
- 3Control
Heat on high for 5 minutes to bring the water to a full boil.
Reduce to medium-low for 10 minutes, then to the lowest setting for another 10 minutes. This staged heat reduction determines the rice's final sticky texture.
- 4Step
Turn off the heat and keep the lid on for 10 minutes to steam.
Open and fold the gondre and rice together thoroughly with a rice paddle so the greens are evenly distributed throughout.
- 5Season
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sliced green onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil to make the seasoning sauce.
- 6Finish
Serve the gondre rice in a bowl alongside the seasoning sauce.
Spoon the sauce over the rice and mix before eating to bring out the distinctive soft, herbal fragrance of the greens.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
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