Eat Like a Local, Eat like Koreans

During the cold winter months, the biting air of an early morning commute can be quite painful for me. That’s why I often have Nurungji (Scorched Rice Soup) in the winter; warming up my body with something hot before heading out makes it much easier to bear.

Korea has a wonderful variety of warm, broth-based dishes, and I plan to introduce them to you one by one whenever I get the chance. There’s something about a warm body that makes you feel a bit more courageous and ready to take on the day.

‘Nurungji’ is the rice that gets slightly scorched and sticks to the bottom of the pot while cooking. It has a hard, crunchy texture, which makes it a great snack to eat as is.

If you boil it in water, it turns into a comforting soup with a wonderfully deep, nutty flavor. You can also lightly fry it in oil and sprinkle a bit of sugar on top for a sweet treat (though I only do that occasionally for health reasons! ^^)

To enjoy a clean and nutty flavor, you can simply boil the Nurungji on its own. However, Koreans wouldn’t dream of skipping the side dishes! ^^

Today, I paired mine with some simple Jeotgal (salted and fermented seafood). Jeotgal is a traditional preserved food made by curing the meat or roe of various fish and shellfish in salt or seasoned brine. While it might sound fishy at first, the addition of red chili powder and various seasonings makes it savory rather than fishy.

For today’s meal, I brought out some Ojing-eo-jeot (salted squid) and Changnan-jeot (salted pollock tripe).

<Ingredients to Prepare>
■ 2.5 Cups Water (approx. 600ml)
■ 2 oz Nurungji (approx. 60g, or about 1 packed cup of scorched rice pieces)
■ Ojing-eo-jeot(Salted and seasoned squid) * Served as a side dish *Side dishes are optional
■ A drizzle of Sesame oil (For drizzling over the squid) *You can skip it

<How to Cook>

1. In a small pot, pour in 2.5 cups of water and add 2 oz (about 1 cup) of Nurungji.
2. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until the rice pieces become soft and the water turns a milky, nutty color.
3. Pour it into a bowl and serve hot.
4. Place a small portion of Jeotgal (salted seafood) on a side dish and lightly drizzle it with a bit of sesame oil.

And there you have it—a very simple yet hearty breakfast is ready! ; )

Best,
MJay from Korea

+ Need more breakfast ideas? Check out the link below for more “5-minute miracle” recipes to save your busy mornings!

How to Make Samgak-Gimbap: Bringing the Korean Convenience Store Breakfast to Your Kitchen

The 5-Minute Healthy Korean Breakfast My Son Asks for 3 Days in a Row

The Ultimate 5-Minute No-Roll Sushi Hack: Korean Inari Sushi