Dosirak Korean Lunch Box. A traditional lunch simply made of rice, egg coated spam, fried egg, kimchi and onion and roasted seaweed. It is so delicious especially when it is mixed. It is versatile as well where you can substitute with other ingredients to suit your needs. Made in less than 30 minutes with cooked rice. Great for lunch or even a simple easy dinner. It is absolutely delicious, very filling and comforting.
Dosirak history
When I first heard about this Korean lunch box and its origin I was very intrigued by the history of it.
I, first, loved that it is only made with several ingredients that are found in the pantry of most Korean homes. I also appreciated how back in the day, and I mean backkkkk in the day, they had to pack them in a tiffin metal lunch box and when the students arrived at their classroom they would sit the lunchbox on top of the heater. This is because the technology of lunch ware is not where it is today where we have thermos that keep our food warm. So, the heat from the heater would almost act as a re-heater to warm up the lunchboxes so metal was the best conductor.
When lunch time rolled around the students would grab their dosirak Korean lunch box and this is where the fun happens! They would either open their dosirak box, then using a spoon to break up the ingredients to eat OR on the more fun side, they would break up the ingredients, close the lid and shake the lunch box in all different directions to mix up the ingredients. I found that mixing up the ingredients to be the tastiest when to have this lunchbox because the individual ingredients flavour the rice.
Each dosirak container varies in terms of ingredients depending on what your parents prepared. A popular version contains sausage dipped and fried in egg, with steamed rice, kimchi fried with onion, fried egg and perhaps some dried seaweed. There is really no one set way of having this lunchbox.
To date there are restaurants and even dosirak restaurants that serve this in their menu so people can enjoy this wonderful meal!
What does Dosirak mean in Korean?
It simply means lunch box.
Easy to make!
My dosirak recipe is extremely easy to make! We are making a spam version with rice, fried egg, kimchi onion, and crushed nori. It is SOOO good, very filling and comforting. It is similar to having bibimbap where the rice is mixed together with all your ingredients.
For this dosirak recipe you are essentially, dipping your sliced spam into whisked egg and frying it lightly to heat up the spam. Next you will lay your spam on one side of the lunch box.
Then you can scoop your cooked rice into the center of the box (this allows for the rice to better mix with the ingredients because it is situated in the center).
Thirdly, in a lightly oiled pan fry your kimchi with some onion until the ingredients have softened and the liquids have evaporated. Packing that into your box next to the rice.
Lastly fry your egg either sunny side egg or over easy. I like sunny side up so that the egg remains runny – therefore coating your rice. As a garnish, I crushed up a sheet of nori and sprinkled it next to my kimchi.
How do you eat Dosirak?
Open the lunch box, break up the individual ingredients with a metal spoon. Close the lid and give it a shake both vertically and horizontally. Shake very well. Then open the lid and depending on how well you have shaken it you will see that the ingredients will have mixed together.
Tips for making Dosirak
Below are tips to guide you on how to make dosirak:
- If you are making spam or sausage, be sure to dip it into egg and fry lightly to warm it up. You do not want to brown it heavily. The egg helps to keep the juices in the meat keeping it moist for lunch. It is also delicious! If you are allergic to egg, you can simply fry your meat.
- When frying the kimchi and onion, use a bit of oil to moisten the pan. Fry the onions fry until they are soft and translucent. Then add your kimchi and fry until the juices have evaporated. If you want your kimchi very saucy, fry it for half the amount of time.
- To prepare your fried egg, this comes down to preference. If you like your rice to be coated in that soft runny egg fry its sunny side up in a non-stick pan over low heat. If you do not want your rice to be coated in yolk, fry it over easy.
- Pack your rice in the center of the lunch box. By situating it in the center it allows for the rice to be distributed among your ingredients versus packing it to one side.
FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about Korean dosirak:
Is Dosirak vegetarian?
Not traditionally as it is served with some form of meat and an egg but in this day in age you can definitely substitute with vegan meat and plant-based eggs or omit the two ingredients and use veggies instead!
Do they use Bento boxes in Korea?
In Korea, they do not call it Bento boxes as bento box is a Japanese term. In Korea, the proper term is “Dosirak” pronounced as “Do-shi-rak”.
Is Dosirak spicy?
It can be spicy depending on the ingredients you choose to place in your lunch box. If you use a very spicy kimchi then use it will be spicy.
What is in a Dosirak?
Dosirak is a Korean packed lunch box with rice and banchans or side dishes such as kimchi, meat like sausage or spam, fried egg, seaweed, and other veggies. It is great for school, work, picnics and is also served at some restaurants too!
Dosirak vs bibimbap?
What is the difference between dosirak vs bibimbap? Dosirak is only made with several key ingredients featuring side dishes packed neatly in a metal lunchbox so it is convenient to take to work or school. It can be mixed like bibimbap or eaten unmixed. It's also not paired with a sauce like gochujang.
Whereas Bibimbap contains more than several ingredients with more vegetables like shitake mushrooms, carrots, spinach, bean sprouts and more. It also contains a fried egg and some form of protein. Traditionally it is served in a bowl and then mixed together with a spicy gochujang-based sauce.
Dosirak vs bento?
A Dosirak is a Korean term for lunchbox, and it may not have dividers as the ingredients usually end up being mixed. Bento is a Japanese term for lunchbox where the lunchbox has dividers to keep ingredients separate from each other.
Where can I buy a dosirak lunch box?
Amazon sells a traditional metal one that I have linked to below but if you have a glass or plastic rectangular lunch box that will work too!
Can you share some other types of dosirak?
Other Korean dosirak recipes can include:
- bulgogi dosirak
- dosirak ramen
- galbi dosirak
- dosirak gyeran jjim
- dosirak gyeran mari
- vegetarian dosirak
- Korean BBQ dosirak
Other Korean recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed this traditional dosirak recipe, then you may enjoy these other ones:
BEEF BULGOGI KIMBAP
KOREAN MUSHROOM LETTUCE WRAPS
CHEESE KIMCHI KIMBAP
KOREAN PORK BELLY LETTUCE WRAPS
GYERAN MARI KOREAN ROLLED OMELETTE
VEGAN MUSHROOM KIMCHI FRIED RICE
GYERAN BAP KOREAN EGG RICE
BUCHUJEON GARLIC CHIVE PANCAKE
KOREAN STREET TOAST WITH HAM
For this recipe
You will need the following dosirak ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked rice
- ½ block spam, sliced into 4-5 pieces
- 2 eggs, one for dipping spam and one to fry sunny side up
- 2 teaspoon oil
- ¼ cup kimchi, chopped
- ¼ onion, thinly sliced
- 1 sheet roasted seaweed, crushed
- Sesame seeds, garnish
Required: lunchbox (use what you have!)
How to make Dosirak
- In a bowl, whisk one of the eggs. Then heat a pan over medium heat and brush it lightly with some oil. Dip each slice of spam into your whisked egg and place on the hot pan to fry until a light golden brown. Fry for just a couple of minutes per side. Remove the cooked spam and place it on right side of the lunch box.
- Pack your cooked rice into the center and left side of the lunch box. A rice paddle or silicon spatula will be extremely helpful here.
- In the same pan set over medium high heat, brush lightly with oil. Fry your sliced onions until translucent and softened. Then add chopped kimchi and mix with onions. Cook until the liquids have evaporated. Once cooked, packed the kimchi onto the left side of the lunch box on top of the rice. Save some room for the crushed nori for later.
- In the same pan (you may need to rinse it of the kimchi juice) over low heat, brush lightly with oil. Then fry your egg sunny side up or over easy (your preference). Place the cooked egg over the center of your rice.
- Lastly crush up a piece of roasted seaweed or nori with your hands and sprinkle it beneath your kimchi. Sprinkle sesame seeds over your kimchi and fried egg.
- To enjoy your lunchbox, read above the recipe in the blog section: “How do you eat Dosirak?”
Give it a try!
Well, I hope you give my Dosirak Korean Lunch Box a try! It always excites me when you guys make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.
Thanks for visiting my blog! If you enjoyed my traditional dosirak please share it with your family and friends or on social media!
Take a picture if you have made my Dosirak Korean Lunch Box and tag me on Instagram @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories so I can share your creation in my stories with credits to you!
Made this recipe and loved it?
If you could leave a star rating for my traditional Korean lunch box, I would greatly appreciate it 🙂 Thanks so much!
Take care,
Christie
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Dosirak Korean Lunch Box
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked short grain rice
- ½ can spam sliced into 4-5 pieces
- 2 eggs one for dipping spam and one to fry sunny side up
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ¼ cup kimchi chopped
- ¼ yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 sheet gim crushed
- Sesame seeds garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk one of the eggs. Then heat a pan over medium heat and brush it lightly with some oil. Dip each slice of spam into your whisked egg and place on the hot pan to fry until a light golden brown. Fry for just a couple of minutes per side. Remove the cooked spam and place it on right side of the lunch box.
- Pack your cooked rice into the center and left side of the lunch box. A rice paddle or silicon spatula will be extremely helpful here.
- In the same pan set over medium high heat, brush lightly with oil. Fry your sliced onions until translucent and softened. Then add chopped kimchi and mix with onions. Cook until the liquids have evaporated. Once cooked, packed the kimchi onto the left side of the lunch box on top of the rice. Save some room for the crushed nori for later.
- In the same pan (you may need to rinse it of the kimchi juice) over low heat, brush lightly with oil. Then fry your egg sunny side up or over easy (your preference). Place the cooked egg over the center of your rice.
- Lastly crush up a piece of roasted seaweed or nori with your hands and sprinkle it beneath your kimchi. Sprinkle sesame seeds over your kimchi and fried egg.
- To enjoy your lunchbox, read above the recipe in the blog section: “How do you eat Dosirak?”
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is what I want for lunch today. That gorgeous egg you placed on top draws me right in!
Rosemary
Ahh this is such a good lunch idea! I love having lunch prepped and ready to go. I never thought to use egg in a lunch recipe thank you!