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Gyeran Bap (Korean Egg Rice): A Simple Comfort Food from the Heart of Korea


  • Author: Diane M

Description

There is something undeniably comforting about a warm bowl of Gyeran Bap, also known as Korean Egg Rice. For many Koreans, this humble dish brings back vivid memories of childhood mornings, hurried school days, or quiet evenings when the fridge seemed bare but hunger still called. It’s a dish steeped in simplicity, but also in love—a meal parents prepare for their children, or that students whip up late at night in tiny apartments, needing just a few ingredients and ten minutes of patience.

In Korea, food is more than sustenance; it’s a thread that connects generations. Gyeran Bap is often one of the first dishes a child learns to make, standing beside their parent or grandparent, watching an egg gently frying in a pan while steam rises from a fresh pot of rice. My own memories of this dish are tied to rainy afternoons, when my grandmother would quietly prepare a bowl for me after school, the drizzle outside mirrored by the drizzle of soy sauce on the rice. The moment the egg yolk broke and mingled with the butter and seasonings, it transformed into the kind of meal that wraps you in warmth from the inside out.

 

Though it’s incredibly simple, Gyeran Bap embodies the heart of Korean home cooking—resourceful, cozy, and deeply satisfying. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch, a midnight snack, or a nostalgic taste of Korea, this dish will meet you exactly where you are.


Ingredients

Scale

1½ cups cooked short-grain white rice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon finely sliced green onions

1 fried egg (sunny side up)

½ teaspoon neutral cooking oil (vegetable oil or similar)


Instructions

1. Prepare the rice.
If using leftover rice, make sure to reheat it until it’s piping hot. There’s something magical about hot rice in this dish—it helps melt the butter and brings everything together. I remember watching my grandmother fluff steaming rice straight from the pot, the smell filling the kitchen with warmth.

2. Add butter.
Spoon the hot rice into a deep bowl and drop the unsalted butter right in the center. Let the heat of the rice melt the butter naturally before stirring it gently. Watching the butter disappear into the grains always felt like a quiet, happy moment.

3. Fry the egg.
In a small non-stick pan, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Crack in an egg and cook it sunny side up until the white is set but the yolk remains runny. I always liked leaving the yolk a little soft so it could coat the rice later, adding creaminess without any effort.

4. Assemble the dish.
Gently place the fried egg on top of the buttered rice. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over everything. Finish by sprinkling sesame seeds and green onions for extra flavor and texture.

 

5. Mix and enjoy.
Right before eating, break the yolk and mix everything together, watching as the flavors meld into a savory, buttery harmony. Every spoonful feels like a warm hug—a taste of home no matter where you are.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, swap soy sauce for tamari.

Adjust the soy sauce and sesame oil amounts to your taste.