Korean · Authentic-ish Korean
Yubu Chobap
425 kcal a serving, against 529 for the traditional version. That is 104 kcal off, or 20%, with 18g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Deep-fried tofu pouches (yubu) are simmered in a mix of soy sauce, sugar and a splash of vinegar, then drained. Short-grain white rice is cooked, cooled, and seasoned with a little more vinegar, then stuffed into the pouches along with a scatter of carrot, cucumber and sometimes sesame seeds.
What changed, and what each change costs
Half the rice swapped for tinned chickpeas - 160g rice, 160g chickpeas-tinned
Rice is classic, but it's not giving you much on the protein front. Chickpeas bulk it out, bring a bit of bite, and bring the numbers up without making it taste like a protein shake in disguise.
What it costs you. You lose a bit of stickiness and gloss. The filling is chunkier and not quite as cohesive. If you prefer classic, do it with just rice and call it a treat.
Extra diced veg: 80g carrot, 80g cucumber, up from 50g each
More veg means more crunch and a lighter bite. It also helps the filling hold together, compensating for the loss of stickiness from the chickpeas.
What it costs you. The extra veg makes each pouch a bit more virtuous, but if you're after pure nostalgia, you'll miss the soft, dense chew of the original.
Sesame oil down from 8g to 3g; sesame seeds from 10g to 4g
Sesame is all about aroma. You want the scent, not a grease slick. It still gives you plenty of flavour for less fat.
What it costs you. You miss that lush perfume when you first bite in, but after the first mouthful you'll stop noticing and just get on with eating.
Pouches drained and pressed hard but not swapped
Draining and pressing is the first thing everyone suggests to cut fat from yubu. It does help, but not as much as you'd want. I tried switching to baked tofu, but it just wasn't yubu chobap - it's a different dish entirely.
What it costs you. You lose some squish and juiciness. It isn't a magic fix. If you want lower fat, eat one fewer pouch and fill out your plate with pickles.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 529 | 425 |
| Protein | 17.9g | 18g |
| Fat | 15.9g | 14.8g |
| Saturated fat | 2.4g | 2.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 80.5g | 58.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.4g | 4.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Korean prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, sesame, soybeans, sulphites.
The method is in the book
Yubu chobap is about comfort and sugar-soaked fried tofu - and there's no way round that. The pouches are the heart and soul, and nothing you do will make them diet food except eating one less. The chickpeas in the filling do more than anything else I tried, and honestly, they do the job. The result is a lighter, springier pouch that has a bit more bite and a lot more staying power. If you want pure nostalgia, use only rice and forgive yourself. Everyone else: fill them as written and you'll still be sneaking back for seconds.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Korean, along with 51 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.