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Yennal dosirak (Korean shaken lunchbox)
Shaken rice lunchbox with kimchi
Old-style tin lunchbox of rice, kimchi, anchovies, sausage and egg, shaken before eating
Yennal dosirak, 'the old-days lunchbox', is a slice of nostalgia for Korean parents who carried a dented tin box to school in the 1970s and 80s and warmed it on the classroom stove. Rice goes in first, then stir-fried kimchi, sweet-salty anchovies, egg-dipped sausage slices and a fried egg on top; at lunchtime you close the lid and shake it hard so it all mixes. Restaurants now serve it for fun, and families make it at home for children. It contains egg, fish, soya and wheat (soy sauce) and sesame. Chef's tip: toast the anchovies in a dry pan first so they stay crisp under the glaze.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz cooked short-grain ricehot
- 2 ⅞ oz mild cabbage kimchichopped
- 2 tbsp neutral oildivided
- 3 ½ oz frankfurter or Korean-style sausagesliced 5 mm thick
- 3 eggs1 beaten, 2 for frying
- 1 sheet seasoned laver (gim)crumbled
- 1 tsp sesame oil
For the anchovies
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice syrup or sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toast 1 oz small dried anchovies (myeolchi) in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat for 2 minutes, shaking, until crisp and fragrant. Add a drizzle of ½ tbsp neutral oil, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp rice syrup or sugar and toss for 30 seconds until glazed. Burnt anchovies taste bitter, so keep the heat low; this is the step most people rush. Scatter with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and tip onto a plate.
3 minStep 2: Wipe the pan, add another drizzle of ½ tbsp neutral oil and stir-fry 2 ⅞ oz mild cabbage kimchi for 2 minutes until softened. Set aside.
2 minStep 3: Dip the 3 ½ oz frankfurter or Korean-style sausage slices in 1 beaten egg from 1 eggs and fry in a little more oil for 1 minute a side, until the egg is set and golden and the sausage is piping hot.
3 minStep 4: Fry the remaining 2 eggs in the last of 1 tbsp neutral oil over a medium heat until the whites are fully set and the yolks are firm for children, about 4 minutes.
4 minStep 5: Divide 10 ½ oz cooked short-grain rice between two lunch tins or lidded boxes and drizzle with 1 tsp sesame oil. Lay the kimchi, anchovies and sausage over the rice in rows, scatter with 1 sheet seasoned laver (gim) and top each with a fried egg.
Step 6: To eat, close the lid tightly and shake hard for 10 seconds, then open and eat. If packing for school, cool completely, keep in an insulated bag with an ice pack and eat within 5 hours.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yennal dosirak (Korean shaken lunchbox) take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of cooked short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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