Gulbap

About the dish

Oysters have fed Koreans since prehistory — Neolithic shell mounds brim with their discarded shells. Enjoyed raw, as jeotgal, in porridge and in hot pot, they make gulbap a prized seasonal rice dish in villages along the coast. The West Sea's oysters, small and plump, lend the dish a fragrant aroma that whets the appetite and goes down easily.

Key ingredient

Oysters (gul) — low in calories and fat yet rich in calcium, a favorite for light eating; iron and copper help support healthy iron levels, while taurine is traditionally believed to help maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure. In season in February, mainly from Goseong.

Ingredients

Main: rice 300 g (1 2/3 cups), oysters 300 g (1 1/2 cups), soybean sprouts 150 g, gim 2 g (1 sheet), water for cooking 340 mL (1 2/3 cups), perilla oil 1 tbsp · Seasoning sauce: soy sauce 3 tbsp, gochugaru 1 tbsp, minced dallae (wild chives) 1/2 tsp, minced scallion 1/2 tsp, minced garlic 1/2 tsp, sesame oil 1/2 tsp, whole sesame seeds a pinch

Simple recipe

1. Wash the rice well and soak it for about 30 min.
2. Rinse the soybean sprouts under running water.
3. Wash the oysters in salted water and drain.
4. Put the soaked rice in a pot, layer the soybean sprouts on top, add the water and cook.
5. When the water boils, drizzle the perilla oil over, lay the oysters on top and let it steam over low heat.
6. Once done, mix well, spoon into bowls and top with toasted, crumbled gim.
7. Stir the gochugaru, minced dallae, scallion, garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds into the soy sauce and serve the sauce alongside.

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