Korean Red Bean Rice (Steamed Rice with Adzuki Beans)
Pat-bap is Korean red bean rice, traditionally eaten on the winter solstice to ward off misfortune. Dried red beans are boiled until just before their skins split, then removed so the tinted cooking liquid can be used to soak and cook the rice, dyeing every grain a soft reddish hue. The beans themselves are folded back in, contributing a starchy, mildly sweet flavor that deepens with each bite. A light sprinkle of salt draws out the beans' natural sweetness without masking their earthy character. The dish is intentionally simple - a bowl of pat-bap with kimchi on the side makes a complete, comforting meal rooted in centuries of Korean seasonal food culture.
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Instructions
- 1
Boil red beans once and discard the first cooking water.
- 2
Add fresh water and simmer 30 minutes to make red bean broth.
- 3
Wash rice, add cooked beans, bean broth, salt, and cook rice.
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