Draft recipe
Korean Banchan Plate
A simple meal
A simple plate of rice, egg, kimchi, and anything else you like. Add Korean cucumber salad, tofu, meat, or any vegetables you have.
01
Ingredients
- 2 bowls cooked rice
- 150 g kimchi
- 2 fried or Mayak eggs
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- Sesame and chili flakes, optional
- Tofu, meat, or vegetables of your choice
02
Method
- 01
Warm the rice and divide it between two bowls.
- 02
Prepare fried eggs or use Mayak eggs that have already been marinated.
- 03
For the Korean cucumber salad, mix the cucumber with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Add sesame and chili flakes if you like.
- 04
Add an egg, kimchi, and cucumber salad to each bowl. Finish the plate with tofu, meat, vegetables, or whatever you already have.
This is a draft recipe. Adjust salt, heat, and timing to suit your kitchen.
03 · Companion recipe
Mayak eggs
Soft-boiled eggs in a sweet and savoury soy marinade. Make them ahead and add them to a meal with kimchi.
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 120 ml soy sauce
- 120 ml water
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 chili, thinly sliced, optional
- A splash of rice vinegar (optional)
- 1 tbsp sesame
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Method
- 01
When the water boils, carefully lower in the eggs and cook for 6 and a half minutes.
- 02
Transfer them immediately to iced water for a few minutes, then peel carefully.
- 03
Mix the soy sauce, water, honey, spring onion, garlic, chili, sesame, and sesame oil.
- 04
Put the eggs in a small container or zip bag and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- 05
Halve the eggs and serve with rice and kimchi. Spoon a little marinade over the rice if you like.
04 · Companion recipe
Mixed-grain rice
Start with a 4:1 ratio—four parts white rice to one part other grains—until your digestion adjusts.
Ingredients
- 4 cups white rice
- 1 cup other grains, such as black, red, or wild rice, millet, barley, or quinoa
- Cooked beans or pulses, optional, such as kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans, soybeans, adzuki beans, or lentils
- Fresh water: use a 1:1.1 grain-to-water ratio after soaking, or 1:1.4 without soaking
Method
- 01
Rinse the white rice and chosen grains until the water is nearly clear.
- 02
Soak them for 30 minutes, then drain and discard the soaking water.
- 03
If adding beans or pulses, cook them beforehand.
- 04
Add fresh water at a 1:1.1 ratio. If the rice was not soaked, use a 1:1.4 ratio.
- 05
Cook, rest covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 · Companion recipe
Oi muchim · Korean cucumber salad
A fresh, tangy, lightly spicy salad for serving with rice and kimchi.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp gochugaru
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp honey or sugar
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- Spring onion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds
Method
- 01
Salt the cucumber and leave it for 10 minutes to release water.
- 02
Drain and press it lightly without squeezing it completely dry.
- 03
Mix with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or keep covered in the refrigerator.
06 · Companion recipe
Sigeumchi namul · seasoned spinach
A simple banchan of blanched spinach, garlic, and sesame.
Ingredients
- 250 g spinach
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- A pinch of salt
Method
- 01
Blanch the spinach for 30–45 seconds, then transfer it immediately to cold water.
- 02
Drain well, gently squeeze out excess water, and roughly chop.
- 03
Mix with garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.
07 · Companion recipe
Carrot bokkeum
Quick stir-fried carrots that add sweetness and colour to the plate.
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- A pinch of salt
- A small splash of sesame oil
Method
- 01
Heat the neutral oil in a frying pan.
- 02
Add the carrots and salt and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until tender but still slightly crisp.
- 03
Finish with a small splash of sesame oil.
08 · Companion recipe
Quick-pickled radish salad
Crunchy sweet-and-sour radish with gochugaru, garlic, and sesame.
Ingredients
- 300 g daikon radish, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp gochugaru
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp plum syrup or honey
- Black pepper
- 1 tsp fish sauce, optional
- Sesame oil and sesame seeds
Method
- 01
Mix the radish with salt and sugar and leave for 20 minutes to soften and release liquid.
- 02
Reserve one tablespoon of the liquid and drain the rest.
- 03
Add gochugaru, spring onion, garlic, vinegar, plum syrup or honey, pepper, and fish sauce if using.
- 04
Add a little reserved liquid if needed, finish with sesame oil and sesame seeds, and chill for 20 minutes before serving.