Rice Medium

Korean Shepherd's Purse Doenjang Pot Rice

Quick answer

Total time: 39 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

This spring pot rice infuses each grain with the deep, earthy flavor of doenjang dissolved in kelp stock.

Naengi, or shepherd's purse, contributes a gentle herbal bitterness that offsets the fermented saltiness, while zucchini and onion bring natural sweetness for balance. Vegetables are first sauteed in perilla oil for fragrance, then doenjang and soaked rice join the pot for a slow cook. Naengi goes in after the pot starts boiling to protect its delicate aroma, and ground sesame seeds finish the dish with a final nutty layer.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

short-grain rice1½ cupcup

naengi (shepherd's purse)90 gg

doenjang1 tbsptbsp

zucchini70 gg

onion50 gg

minced garlic1 tsptsp

perilla oil1 tbsptbsp

kelp stock1.8 cupcup

ground sesame seeds1 tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Rinse 1.5 cups short-grain rice until the water runs mostly clear, then soak for 30 minutes.

Trim any soil from 90 g naengi, rinse gently, drain well, and cut into 3 cm pieces.
2

Step

Dice 70 g zucchini and 50 g onion into small, even cubes.

Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them soften at the same pace and spread sweetness through the rice without leaving hard bits.
3

Control

Set the pot over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon perilla oil.

Add onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and zucchini, then saute for about 2 minutes until glossy and fragrant but not browned.
4

Step

Add 1 tablespoon doenjang and stir for about 30 seconds so it loosens into the vegetables.

Add the drained rice and stir for 1 minute, coating the grains until they look glossy.
5

Control

Pour in 1.8 cups kelp stock and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Once it bubbles strongly, taste the liquid for saltiness and add 1-2 tablespoons water if the doenjang tastes too strong.
6

Control

Spread the naengi over the rice, cover, and cook on low heat for 12 minutes without lifting the lid.

Turn off the heat, rest covered for 10 minutes, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon ground sesame seeds and fold gently from the bottom.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Kelp broth with doenjang carries deep, fermented flavor into every grain of this pot rice.
Finish cue: Add the drained rice and stir for 1 minute, coating the grains until they look glossy.