Korean Pyongyang Onban (Rice in Clear Chicken Broth)
Quick answer
Pyeongyang-onban is a North Korean-style warm rice soup in which steamed rice is submerged in clear chicken broth and topped with shredded chicken and sliced shiitake mushrooms.
What makes this special
- Pyeongyang-onban submerges shredded chicken and rice in clear, 45-minute poultry broth.
- No fermented paste; pure clarity of 45-minute chicken broth
- Shiitake added for last 5 minutes layers mushroom aroma
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Rinse 700 g chicken pieces under cold water, removing blood and bone fragments so the broth stays clear.
- 2 Place the chicken, 1600 ml water, green onion, and garlic in a pot and bring...
- 3 Lower the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Pyeongyang-onban is a North Korean-style warm rice soup in which steamed rice is submerged in clear chicken broth and topped with shredded chicken and sliced shiitake mushrooms. The chicken simmers with garlic and green onion for forty-five minutes, producing a clean, golden stock that is strained for clarity before use. The cooked meat is pulled into strips and set aside, while shiitake slices steep in the broth for five minutes to add an earthy dimension without muddying the liquid. Rice goes into the bowl first, followed by the hot broth and the chicken garnish, with salt as the sole seasoning. No fermented pastes, chili, or bold spices are used, which means the dish stands entirely on the quality of the stock itself. Onban was traditionally served as a breakfast dish in Pyongyang, and the deliberate restraint in seasoning makes it one of the gentler, more stomach-friendly preparations in the Korean rice soup tradition. A long, unhurried simmer is what separates a flat broth from one with real depth.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Rinse 700 g chicken pieces under cold water, removing blood and bone fragments so the broth stays clear.
Slice 80 g shiitake mushrooms thinly, and prepare the green onion and 6 garlic cloves before heating.
- 2Control
Place the chicken, 1600 ml water, green onion, and garlic in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once foam rises, skim it off carefully to prevent a cloudy broth.
- 3Control
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Keep the liquid barely moving rather than rolling hard, so the chicken flavor deepens while the stock remains clean and clear.
- 4Step
Lift out the chicken and let it cool just until easy to handle, then shred it along the grain.
Strain the broth to remove the green onion, garlic, and loose bits, then return it to the pot.
- 5Control
Add the sliced shiitake to the clear broth and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
When the mushrooms soften and perfume the broth, season first with 1 teaspoon salt.
- 6Season
Rinse 2 cups cooked rice briefly with hot water and divide it between bowls.
Pour in the hot broth with shiitake, top with shredded chicken, and check the salt level before serving immediately.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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