Flavorful & Savory Sea Gourd and Pollack Roe Rice Bowl (Sotbap)
Recreating Park Na-rae’s Famous Sea Gourd and Pollack Roe Rice Bowl from ‘I Live Alone’
Try this popular Sea Gourd and Pollack Roe Rice Bowl recipe, inspired by Park Na-rae from the TV show ‘I Live Alone’! The unique combination of chewy sea gourd and pop-in-your-mouth pollack roe is incredibly addictive and makes for a truly delicious meal. This unique recipe is so good, you won’t be able to stop eating it! Follow along and make this amazing dish at home.
Rice Cooking Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup kelp stock
- 1/2 Tbsp seasoned soy sauce
- 2 pieces butter
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 1 cup of rice. Rinse it thoroughly and then soak it in cold water for 30 minutes. Soaking the rice will make it extra moist and tender.
Step 2
Let’s make the base for our delicious rice bowl: the kelp stock. In 1.5 cups of water, add 3 pieces of kelp. You can also add some bonito flakes (either with the kelp or steeped separately) if you like, and let it steep for 30 minutes. Then, strain out the solids and reserve the stock. (Alternatively, you can use store-bought kelp stock for convenience.)
Step 3
In a heavy-bottomed pot (a rice cooker pot or cast iron pot is recommended), melt 2 pieces of butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the soaked rice (drained of excess water) and stir-fry in the butter for about 1-2 minutes until the rice grains turn translucent. Stirring prevents burning and enhances the nutty aroma and flavor.
Step 4
Pour 1 cup of the prepared kelp stock into the stir-fried rice and add 1/2 Tbsp of seasoned soy sauce for a subtle savory flavor. Mix the rice and stock well with a spatula and spread it evenly. Bring it to a boil over high heat. As soon as it starts boiling, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to very low, and cook for 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the rice.
Step 5
While the rice is cooking, let’s prepare the pollack roe. Take 1-2 pollack roes and gently pan-fry them in a little butter, being careful not to break the membrane. Cook only the outer surface until it turns white. Overcooking will make the roe dry, so lightly searing is key. (Adjust the soy sauce amount based on the saltiness of your pollack roe.)
Step 6
Once the rice is cooked, arrange the prepared seasoned sea gourd and the lightly seared pollack roe attractively on top of the rice. Then, cover the pot again with the lid slightly ajar and let it steam for 2 minutes. This allows the flavors of the toppings to meld beautifully with the rice.
Step 7
Finally, just before serving, drizzle 1 Tbsp of sesame oil over the steaming Sea Gourd and Pollack Roe Rice Bowl for extra fragrance and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Your ‘I Live Alone’ style Sea Gourd and Pollack Roe Rice Bowl is ready to be enjoyed! Mix everything together with your chopsticks and savor this delicious creation.
