Albap (Flying-Fish Roe Rice Bowl)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Dolsot or small heavy stone bowl, 18 to 20 cm, optional
• •Sharp knife for 5 mm dice
• •Rice paddle or wide spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the roe

   Keep the flying-fish roe cold while you work. Stir the rice vinegar, mirin, and salt in a small bowl until the salt dissolves, then fold this through the roe gently. This takes away the flat freezer taste and wakes up the roe without making it sweet. Put it back in the refrigerator until the rice is ready.

   Taste your roe before seasoning. Some brands are already salty and colored; if it tastes very briny, use only half the salt.
2. 2

   Cut the vegetables

   Dice the cucumber, danmuji, carrot, and kimchi into pieces about 5 mm across. This measure matters because albap is eaten by the spoon. Large pieces fall away from the rice, and tiny pieces disappear. Squeeze the kimchi lightly so it seasons the bowl without flooding it.

3. 3

   Warm the bowl

   If using dolsot, brush the inside with 1 teaspoon neutral oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil, then set it over low heat for 3 minutes. Add the hot rice and press it gently into an even layer. Let it sit over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until the bottom begins to crackle and the edge smells nutty. Do not stir yet; the rice needs stillness to make nurungji.

4. 4

   Arrange the toppings

   Turn off the heat. Arrange the cucumber, danmuji, carrot, kimchi, scallions, and crushed gim over the rice in small piles so the colors stay clear before mixing. Spoon the chilled roe into the center last. The cold roe against the hot rice is the point, so do not cook it in the bowl.

5. 5

   Finish and mix

   Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Carry the bowl to the table and mix just before eating, scraping the crisp rice from the bottom as you go. Taste first, then add a few drops of soy sauce only if the bowl needs salt. The gim, kimchi, danmuji, and roe already bring plenty.

6. 6

   No dolsot method

   For a regular bowl, warm the rice well and mix it with 1 teaspoon sesame oil before adding the toppings. You will lose the crisp rice bottom, but the bowl is still honest if the rice is hot, the roe is cold, and the vegetables are cut properly. That is a safe corner to cut. The knife work is not.

Chef Tips

• •Buy flying-fish roe from a Korean or Japanese market freezer case and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Do not thaw it on the counter; roe is small, salty seafood and should stay cold until serving.
• •If you cannot find flying-fish roe, capelin roe can stand in. Salmon roe is too large and too wet for this bowl; it turns the rice heavy and changes the eating completely.
• •Danmuji gives crunch, color, and sweetness. If you leave it out, add 2 tablespoons finely diced pickled radish or a little extra cucumber, but do not replace it with sugar. Albap should be lively, not sweet.
• •Use freshly cooked short-grain rice. Old cold rice can be reheated, but sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon water per cup and cover it well so it returns to softness before it touches the bowl.

Advance Preparation

• •Dice the cucumber, carrot, danmuji, and kimchi up to 8 hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Keep each ingredient separate so the colors and textures stay clean.
• •Season the roe up to 2 hours ahead and keep it chilled. Do not mix it into warm rice until serving, or the pop and clean taste fade.
• •Cook the rice just before eating if you can. If making ahead, hold it warm in the rice cooker for up to 2 hours rather than refrigerating it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 360g)