How To Recreate Squid Game's Dosirak, A Traditional Korean Lunch, At Home

The insanely popular Netflix show Squid Game is back for another season! While the series certainly pulls fans in with its high-stakes game play and compelling dystopian setting, it also shines a light on certain aspects of Korean culture that unfamiliar viewers are intrigued by. For instance, in Episode 4 of Season 2, the players are served neat-looking lunches known as dosiraks. These Korean lunch boxes are now being recreated all over TikTok, helping the show's popularity to expand into the world of cooking. If you want to feel immersed in Squid Game, you can make your own dosirak that replicates the one shown in the episode. 

@salty_shelley

Making Korean lunch box (Dosirak) as seen in Squid Games 🦑🎮 The components are: -Cooked rice -Fried Korean fish sausage, sliced and breaded in flour and dipped in egg -Stir fried kimchi with sugar and gochugaru -Fried egg -Soy braised black beans (bought from Hmart) -Stir fried dried anchovies (bought from @H Mart ) #koreanfood #squidgames #squidgame #squidgame2 #squidgameseason2 #creatorsearchinsights #dosirak

♬ The Beautiful Blue Danube (Excerpt) – The Philharmonia Orchestra

"Dosirak" is a Korean term that simply refers to a packed meal (and the box it's served in), typically made for lunchtime. To get started with your Squid Game-inspired lunch, you'll need a dosirak box, cooked white rice, Korean fish sausage, a fried egg, kimchi, soy-braised black beans, and dried anchovies. That list may look lengthy, but assembling the dosirak itself is quite simple. Cook your rice in any way you prefer; slice and fry the sausage before arranging it on top of the bed of rice in the container; then layer on the kimchi, beans, and anchovies before topping it off with the egg. You can enjoy each part separately, or shake the components together for a more traditional take.

While you can try to find all of the right ingredients to replicate the exact meal seen on Squid Game, you can also make a dosirak that suits your taste preferences and what you can purchase near you. The key ingredients across all dosiraks are white rice, some kind of protein, and various sides like kimchi, bean sprouts, or dried seaweed (to list a few). Finding some of these foods can be difficult if you don't live near a market specializing in Korean groceries. If this is the case, go ahead and improvise.

For example, you can swap the Korean fish sausage with another protein commonly used in Korean dishes: SPAM. Cut the meat into slices (or small circles, for a show-accurate look) before coating it in egg and frying it to a crisp. It tastes salty and slightly spicy, which complements the rich, yolky egg and soft bed of rice. Pair kimchi with the fatty SPAM for an acidic yet meaty bite that punches all of your tastebuds. 

For a unique spin on a dosirak, try making this mouthwatering Korean chili crab recipe that features umami fish sauce, sweet apricot jam, and red chile powder for a spicy seafood delight. And hey, why not make a bunch of dosiraks for friends at dinnertime instead of lunch, and pair it with Korea's trendy APT drinking game for what's sure to be a memorable night?