Shake up your dinner party with a stunning and vibrant twist by preparing a delicious dish of purple Korean rice.
This simple rice recipe will infuse your meal with a burst of color that is sure to impress your guests and family.
Follow these easy stovetop instructions and create a delicious dish that will leave everyone in awe.
Jump to:
Indulge in the captivating allure of purple Korean rice, a remarkable dish that boasts a unique hue and delightful texture. Despite it's looks, it's really easy to make.
This delicious creation, also referred to as Heukmi Bap in Korean, is a sticky rice variety that exudes a vibrant purple color.
While its literal translation is "black rice," it has gained popularity as purple rice or purple multigrain rice due to its strikingly beautiful purple hue.
Whether you're hosting a grand dinner party or simply seeking to shake up your everyday meals, adding purple Korean rice into your list of recipes is a sure way to impress.
Its visually stunning appearance and delectable taste make it a standout dish that adds a touch of elegance to any dining occasion.
So, gather your ingredients, and make this easy purple Korean rice recipe today!
What Gives Purple Rice It's Color?
The enchanting purple hue of purple rice originates from the harmonious blend of black glutinous rice and short grain white rice as they are cooked together.
As these two rice varieties simmer on the stovetop, a magical transformation occurs.
The outer layer of the black glutinous rice, with its deep, intense color, gives its dye onto the surrounding white rice grains, giving them in a delicate purple coating.
The infusion of the black glutinous rice dye infuses the entire dish with a captivating visual appeal, transforming an ordinary bowl of rice into a feast for the eyes.
Each spoonful reveals a mosaic of colors, showcasing the rich and vibrant purple tones that mesmerize both the palate and the senses.
What Can I Serve Purple Rice With?
Korean purple rice goes great when you pair it with succulent grilled or roasted meats, such as juicy teriyaki-glazed chicken or tender marinated beef.
The nutty undertones of purple rice beautifully complement seafood dishes, whether it's pan-seared salmon, garlic shrimp, or a delicate sushi roll.
For a vegetarian or vegan option, combine purple rice with roasted vegetables, sautéed mushrooms, or tofu stir-fry to create a colorful and satisfying plant-based meal.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Korean purple rice recipe is so simple to make and it is just as easy as making any other plain rice. It uses only three ingredients. Making it budget-friendly, quick to prepare, and a no-fuss recipe.
By combining black glutinous rice with white rice, it creates a lovely purple color in the end result which I'm sure you'll love. What's more, depending on the amount of black glutinous rice you add, you can make the rice a dark rich purple or a light pale purple!
You'll also love that this recipe only has three ingredients, and it only takes just over 30 minutes to make.
Cost To Make
Estimated cost = $0.75, or $0.18 a serve
Ingredients
Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.
- Black glutinous rice (sweet black rice): The dye in this rice gives the color to the final dish. If you want your rice to be more purple, simply add some more black glutinous rice. If you add a lot more, however, you may need to adjust the amount of water you cook your rice with.
- Short grain white rice: The starch found in this rice helps the rice to stick together. If you are unable to get short grain rice, you could substitute medium grain rice.
- Water
Instructions
Making purple rice is so easy and takes less time than you think. Here is the method of cooking purple rice.
Step One: In a saucepan, place both the short grain rice and black glutinous rice. Rinse the rice well until the water becomes clear.
You will need to rinse the rice multiple times until the water becomes clear. Be sure the drain the water as best as you can between each rinse.
Once the water becomes clear, drain the water completely.
Step Two: Add the 1 ½ cups (375ml) of water to the saucepan. Make sure the rice sits flat on the bottom of the saucepan. This will help the rice cook evenly.
Step Three: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the rice to a boil.
When the rice reaches a boil, gently stir the rice with a spoon (this will help stop the rice from sticking to the bottom when it cooks).
Turn the heat to low to reduce to a simmer and place a lid on the saucepan. Cook for 20 minutes.
Step Four: After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes with the lid on.
Step Five: Using a fork, rake the rice to loosen the grains (this is known as fluffing the rice). Serve.
Tips for Success
- If you want your rice to be a lighter color, use less black glutinous rice.
- To make the rice a bit more chewy and darker in color, add more black rice.
- Make sure to rest the rice with the lid on after it has finished cooking. This is because the rice will continue to cook even with the heat off.
- Be sure to completely drain the water after rinsing. Otherwise, you may end up with too much water when your rice is cooking. This may make the rice too soft and mushy.
Serving Suggestions
This rice is perfect to eat on its own. However, it also goes well with soy sauce chicken, teriyaki chicken, and Korean side dishes such as kimchi, pickled onions, and pan fried Korean zucchini.
Storage
If you have any leftover rice, you can store it in a refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Place the rice in an airtight container.
Heat the rice in a microwave. Sprinkle some water over the top of the rice before reheating to rehydrate it if needed.
FAQ
Yes, this purple Korean rice recipe is gluten-free.
As this recipe is made just from rice and water it makes the purple rice healthy. Additionally, black glutinous rice contains anthocyanin.
This is an antioxidant that is found in other foods such as acai berries, blueberries, and eggplants. Foods that contain anthocyanin are often rich in antioxidants.
Korean purple rice is made of short (or medium) grain rice and black glutinous rice and water.
What rice is used for what?
Ever wondered which might be the best rice to use for a dish you're about to make.
Or maybe you're just curious and want to know more about rice in general.
Why not check out our pages on what is basmati rice and what is jasmine rice.
Helpful Rice Cooking Tips
Want to know how to cook rice or just need a little refresher?
Check out how to easily cook basmati rice, sushi rice, and jasmine rice on the stovetop.
Or, why not check out our recipes on how to make basmati rice, jasmine rice, and sushi rice in the Instant Pot.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below! We'd love to hear how it turned out.
Recipe
Korean Purple Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons black glutinous rice
- 1 cup short grain white rice
- 1 ½ cups (375 ml) water
Instructions
- In a saucepan place the black glutinous rice and short grain white rice. Rinse under cool water to remove the starch from the rice. Drain the water. Repeat rinsing until the water becomes clear. Completely drain the water once it becomes clear.
- Add 1 ½ cups (375 ml) of water to the pot. Make sure the rice sits flat on the bottom of the saucepan.
- Over medium to high heat, bring the pot to a boil. Stir the rice gently. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to low and place a lid on it. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Keeping the lid on the pot, turn the stove off and remove the pot from the stove. Allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes.
- Take the lid off the pot and use a fork to gently rake the rice to separate the grains. Serve.
Notes
- If you want your rice to be a darker purple, add a bit more black glutinous rice before cooking.
- Make sure to rest the rice with the lid on after it has finished cooking. This is because the rice will continue to cook even with the heat off.
- Be sure to completely drain the water after rinsing. Otherwise, you may end up with too much water when your rice is cooking. This may make the rice too soft and mushy.
Tom says
This was so easy to make!
Laurel says
Made this the other day to serve with another dish. It's so easy to make and complimented so well.