Multigrain Rice (Japgokbap)

Multigrain Rice (Japgokbap) Recipe

More fiber for my rice lovers

As a Filipino, I was born to love rice. It’s almost a rite of passage for us to try rice for the very first time, and it’s so versatile that I can guarantee we can eat rice for breakfast, lunch, merienda, dinner, and even dessert.

But of course, there comes a time when you realize that you need more nutrients in every meal, especially as you grow older. Before, I thought cutting rice from my diet would solve my dilemma, and I did it for two years. But I eventually learned that addition rather than restriction is better!

So instead of just eating plain white rice, I try to incorporate more grains (also known as japgokbap), such as barley, mung beans, quinoa, and more. Not only does it add great texture to my rice, but it also gives me more fiber.

It’s such a subtle change to my routine that it takes away that guilty feeling I sometimes have when I eat “too much” rice because now, when I indulge in rice, I know I’m also getting closer to my fiber goals. (girl math.)

I recommend this simple recipe to anyone who wants to give their gut a little extra care while still enjoying the foods they grew up with.

When I stopped thinking about what I needed to remove and started thinking about what I could add to my diet, my love and respect for food grew tenfold. It healed a part of my inner child who once believed she had to restrict herself to feel good.

I hope this helps you, too.

Breaking Down the Recipe:

What is Multigrain Rice (Japgokbap)?

Multigrain rice is also known as japgokbap. It is a Korean way of eating rice where different grains are added to promote blood sugar control and gut health. The flavour profile may vary depending on the grains you mix. I like it because you can customize it, but my typical blend contains barley, mung beans, quinoa, brown rice, and sweet black rice.

But other than the health benefits, what actually caught my attention about japgokbap is the colour! Multigrain rice has a beautiful purple colour when cooked, thanks to the sweet black rice. There’s just something about eating purple rice that makes you feel like you’re having the best meal of your life.

I use a 1:1 ratio when cooking multigrain rice, so 1 part of your homemade blend to 1 part white rice. I like this because, in my experience, eating just one type of grain (like brown or black rice) can overpower the flavour. Mixing it with white rice gives you that subtle flavour and texture while still feeling familiar to your taste buds.

What is the finger method when cooking rice?

In our household, we used to cook rice in a pot! This was before we got our rice cooker. You only need one “utensil” to know the perfect water-to-rice ratio, and that’s the finger method! I learned this from my grandma, so once you learn this, you’re officially one of her apo (grandchildren).

The first step is to wash the rice. Once that’s done, pour in enough water to just cover the top of the rice. Dip your index finger into the center, making sure it’s resting on top of the rice, and check the water level. The water level should reach the first knuckle of your index finger, so feel free to add or remove water until it reaches that part.

This is a great way to determine how much water you need when cooking rice, and it’s a method used in many Asian households!

Instructions:

*Detailed instructions and tips available in the recipe card below.

In your container, add your yellow mung beans, barley, brown rice, sweet black rice, and white quinoa.

Mix them together until everything is well combined.

Cooking your rice using a rice cooker: Put your white rice and mixed grains in the pot and wash them until the water runs clear.

For the water, you can follow the multigrain line in your rice cooker, but I personally like adding a bit more because I find it cooks the different grains better. For this recipe, we use 3 cups of water.

Cook your rice in the rice cooker! Once it’s done, let it rest for another 5–10 minutes!

Enjoy your high-fiber rice with your favourite ulam!

Ingredients:

Yellow Mung Beans

You may be more familiar with mung bean sprouts, which are commonly used in Korean side dishes or lumpiang togue (a Filipino egg roll with a mung bean filling). This particular variant is a whole mung bean without the outer shell or stem, so they are physically smaller.

Mung beans are high in both protein and fiber, and they’re also easily digestible! Similar to quinoa, they have a mild, earthy taste that blends well with multigrain rice.

White Quinoa

White quinoa is commonly used as a substitute for rice because of its fluffy texture when cooked! It is high in protein and contains all nine essential amino acids.

I used to mix quinoa with my white rice because I wanted the added protein. At first, I wasn’t used to the taste. It was earthy with a hint of nuttiness, but eventually, I got used to it and don’t even notice the difference anymore.

It’s definitely a good addition to white rice, especially for beginners who want to explore different grains.

Barley

This is the most foreign to me of all the grains I used, but it was a nice surprise. I like that it adds a great chewy texture to my rice. It contains gluten and is high in beta-glucan, which helps manage blood sugar and cholesterol. Taste-wise, it is similar to the other grains – nutty and earthy.

Fun fact about this grain: it is the fourth-most-grown grain, and when fermented, barley can be used to make malt for beer.

Brown Rice

When I was younger, my parents tried to substitute our white rice with brown rice, and as someone who was very sensitive to change back then (I still am, but I manage lol), I absolutely hated it. To be honest, I was just being dramatic because it was actually not bad, and you can barely taste the difference.

Basically, brown rice is what you get when the first layer (hull) is removed, while white rice is what you get when all the layers (hull and bran) of the grain have been removed, making white rice more processed. Brown rice is more nutrient-dense because it still has these layers, which is why it is high in magnesium and vitamin B. So, to little Kat, stop fighting the change because this is better for you

Sweet Black Rice

Sweet black rice is my favourite grain, and it’s the main reason why japgokbap turns purple. In the Philippines, we call it balatinao, and it’s used in a lot of our kakanin or sweet treats, like biko and champorado. It is packed with antioxidants and fiber and can help manage blood sugar. Contrary to the name, it is actually mildly sweet, but definitely sweeter than the other grains. It’s like glutinous rice, so it is chewy and soft on the inside – perfect for multigrain rice!

Note: These grains are the ones I commonly use, but you can always play around with them and remove or add more! I suggest trying three of these grains first and deciding from there whether multigrain rice is for you or not.

Fun fact: Rice is only the second-most-grown grain, which is very surprising to me, lol. The first one is corn!

Equipment:

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