In Korea, rice is served with most meals. For special occasions, it is common to eat red bean rice (pat bap), which is white, short-grain rice cooked with red beans. The rice gets a beautiful, light red-purple hue, and a subtle, slightly sweet and nutty, flavor from the beans. Red bean rice is not difficult to cook, but because the beans have to soak before cooking, it requires a little more planning ahead than cooking your usual white rice, and it is often easier to prepare the beans the day before you plan on cooking the red bean rice.
The white, short-grain, Korean rice can be found in most larger Asian grocery stores, but if you are having trouble finding Korean rice, Japanese sushi rice also works. For the red beans, look for Japanese azuki beans at the Asian grocery stores.
Recipe and notes by Ella – @cookiestorykim
Some recipes online recommend that you cook the rice with the bean water, but I do not recommend that as the bean water will give the rice a slightly bitter taste.
Korean Red Bean Rice (Pat Bap)
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servingsIn Korea, rice is served with most meals. For special occasions, it is common to eat red bean rice (pat bap), which is white, short-grain rice cooked with red beans. The rice gets a beautiful, light red-purple hue, and a subtle, slightly sweet and nutty, flavor from the beans. Red bean rice is not difficult to cook, but because the beans have to soak before cooking, it requires a little more planning ahead than cooking your usual white rice, and it is often easier to prepare the beans the day before you plan on cooking the red bean rice.
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Ingredients
2 cups (500ml) short-grain white rice
1/2 cup red beans (azuki beans)
a pinch of salt
Directions
- Soak the beans in water overnight.
- Wash and clean the beans.
- 3 hours before cooking, wash and clean the rice thoroughly, and let it soak in water for 3 hours.
- Bring the beans to a boil with 2-3 cups of water, and then let the beans simmer until they are al dente (about 20-30 minutes). You can pinch a bean between two fingers. When it is possible to leave a dent in the bean, they are ready.
- Drain the beans and the rice, and add rice, beans and salt in a pot (you can also use a rice cooker). Add water according to the cooking instructions on the rice package (2-2 1/2 cups) and bring to a boil. Let the rice and beans simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a large wooden spoon or a spatula, and the red bean rice is ready to serve.
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