Fragrant Gondre Namul Rice with Zesty Dallae Seasoning
A Warm Seasonal Delicacy: Gondre Rice with its Subtle Aroma and Zesty Dallae Soy Sauce
I was so impressed by the delicious gondre namul (Korean thistle vegetable) rice I tried on a trip to Gangwon Province that I bought dried gondre namul and made it at home. I’ve been making it often ever since because it’s so incredibly tasty! The aromatic gondre namul paired with the zesty dallae (Korean wild chives) soy sauce is truly a match made in heaven, offering a meal that leaves nothing to be desired.
Rice Ingredients
- 150g Dried Gondre Namul
- 3 cups Washed Rice
- 2 Tbsp Perilla Oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the dried gondre namul. Soak the dried gondre namul in water for at least half a day until well rehydrated. For an even softer texture, you can boil the rehydrated gondre namul for about 30 minutes. I soaked mine overnight, so it was soft enough to use without boiling. Rinse the rehydrated gondre namul thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water.
Step 2
To the squeezed gondre namul, add 2 tablespoons of soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) and 2 tablespoons of perilla oil. Gently mix and massage the ingredients into the namul with your hands. This pre-seasoning helps to enhance the natural flavor and aroma of the gondre namul.
Step 3
Place the seasoned gondre namul on top of the washed rice in your rice cooker. Add water to cook the rice, but use slightly less water than you normally would. Gondre namul releases moisture as it cooks, so too much water can make the rice mushy. Now, simply press the ‘cook’ button on your rice cooker, and delicious gondre namul rice will be ready. While the rice is cooking, the subtle, fragrant aroma of the gondre namul wafting from the rice cooker is truly captivating. You’ll find yourself eagerly anticipating the meal with every whiff.
Step 4
While the rice is cooking, let’s prepare a flavorful dallae soy sauce to enjoy with the gondre namul rice.
Step 5
In a bowl, combine 10 tablespoons of regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), 2 tablespoons of plum extract, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds. Add the finely chopped dallae to your liking and mix well. Your fragrant dallae soy sauce is now ready.
Step 6
Here’s the finished dallae soy sauce. The visible pieces of fresh dallae interspersed with the soy sauce look wonderfully aromatic. Even tasting it on its own will make your mouth water with its delightful flavor. The subtle and zesty aroma of dallae is wonderful. If you prefer, you can also add finely chopped chives or spicy green chili peppers for a different twist. This simple soy sauce mixture transforms into a sophisticated sauce when paired with gondre namul rice. It’s delicious mixed directly into the rice, and even better when wrapped in toasted seaweed sheets.
Step 7
The freshly cooked, warm gondre namul rice is ready! It’s time to mix it with the seasoning and enjoy this delightful meal.
Step 8
Although it might look like ordinary vegetable rice, one bite reveals the sophisticated aroma and the subtly complex, yet not overpowering, flavor of the gondre namul. It’s wonderfully savory and deeply flavorful, filling your mouth with a delightful taste.
Step 9
Gondre namul rice is wonderful on its own, but it becomes even more exquisite when mixed with the dallae soy sauce. If you’ve lost your appetite, this dish is sure to bring it back with its incredibly appealing flavor. It’s a special seasonal delicacy that’s perfect for enjoying right now.
Step 10
It’s hard to describe the deliciousness of this gondre namul rice, with its sweet and subtle fragrance. You truly have to taste it to understand. The gentle aroma of gondre permeates the entire bowl of rice, offering a delicate, sweet, savory, and soft flavor with every spoonful, reminiscent of the clear, bright skies of Gangwon Province. It’s a refined taste that gently coats your palate.
Step 11
Since we pre-seasoned the rice with soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) and perilla oil, it has a subtle aroma and just the right amount of seasoning, making it delicious and pleasantly sweet even when eaten plain without any other accompaniments.
Step 12
Wrap some of this gondre namul rice in well-toasted gim (seaweed), add a little dallae soy sauce, and take a bite – it’s absolutely heavenly! You won’t need any other side dishes; this bowl of rice alone is satisfying and delicious. My husband and I both had two bowls each this day and overindulged! With its high fiber content, it should digest well, so no worries.
Step 13
When you eat the gondre namul rice plain, it has a simple, pure taste that almost melts in your mouth, which is lovely. However, when you mix it with the zesty dallae soy sauce, it’s like throwing a pebble into calm waters – the pure taste is enhanced with a burst of rich umami, creating a delightful transformation of flavors.
Step 14
The pure taste of gondre namul rice, met with the sweet and sour tang and umami of the dallae soy sauce, creates a wave of exciting flavors. This dish is so addictive it could be called a ‘rice thief,’ and the addition of the dallae soy sauce makes it an even more magnificent one-bowl meal.
