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Pumpkin Rice Porridge (Korean-Inspired Juk)

Korean winters are rough. All you can hope for as it starts to get cold is a warm bowl of Juk ; if you’re familiar with Congee, its Chinese cousin, you’ll know what I’m talking about ! I remember discovering Juk at the Seoul National University cafeteria. You don't order it at the restaurant, not that I have seen ; it is either lovingly made by the ajummas from the school to make up for all this pork belly and fried chicken you keep eating, or by your family, especially when sick. In the spirit of our Western chicken soup, it is usually made with chicken, or small beef pieces. I remember buying instant porridge cups over there, and one was pumpkin-flavoured. It was my inspiration for this recipe. As I knew the flavours would be rather mild, I decided to go for an umami mushroom topping. Clearly remaining delicate taste-wise, the thick rice soup mixed with puréed pumpkin is made bolder by the addition of fish sauce and sesame oil, which are strong flavour markers from the original recipe. The thinly diced mushrooms then provide a minced meat feel, especially with the oyster sauce and soy sauce seasoning. Bon appétit !

Pumpkin Rice Porridge (Korean-Inspired Juk) - Recipe

Ingredients - Advice & where to find them

  • All of the condiments and pantry items used are rather basic Asian items (soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, short-grain rice) that you can easily find at your nearest Asian grocer, possibly even your usual grocery store !
  • I used Red Kuri Squash here, but go with what is available nearby. I meant to use Kabocha squash, which is a popular choice in Asia, but I couldn't find any where I live.
  • If you cannot find fresh shiitake, either pick a different mushroom kind with a rich flavour (black trumpet mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, chanterelle mushrooms), or use 15-20 dried ones !
  • If you don't want to roast your pumpkin, simply boil it, but roasting will bring a deeper taste.
  • You can easily make the dish vegetarian by using vegetarian oyster sauce and fish sauce (or replace fish sauce with soy sauce).
All set ? Let's dig into it !
Cooking Method ,
Cuisine ,
Courses ,
Difficulty Beginner
Time
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 70 min Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Servings 4
Best Season Fall
Description

A thick, melt-in-your-mouth rice soup, with sweet sesame notes from the pumpkin and sesame oil, and your meaty, salty mushroom topping ; Juk is comfort in a bowl.   

Ingredients
  • 1/2 red kuri squash (or Kabocha squash, or any other)
  • 200 grams fresh shiitake (see recipe advice for replacements)
  • 1 cup white short-grain rice
  • 3 green onion stalks
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 3,5 tablespoons fish sauce (~170g/serving)
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1,7 liter water (or veggie stock)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
  1. Squash time

    Prehat your oven to 200°C.

    Halve your pumpkin. Add a large pinch of salt and a good drizzle of olive oil to each half.

    Put it in the oven and bake 40 minutes. Let cool.

  2. Prep the rest of your ingredients

    Soak your sticky rice in water with the usual 1:1 ratio.

    Mince your garlic and green onions. Thinly dice your mushrooms.

  3. Pan-fry your mushrooms

    Add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter to a a pan. Bring it to medium-high heat.

    Add your mushrooms. 5mn later, add soy sauce.

    When the mushrooms are wilted and cooked through, around 2mn later, add oyster sauce.

    Let it cook 30 seconds before removing from heat. 

  4. Now let's make JUK

    Scoop out your pumpkin purée in a bowl when cooked. Careful : let it cool a bit before handling. 

    To a heavy-bottomed pot, add neutral oil. Add garlic ; stir-fry until fragrant.

    Strain the rice and add to the pot. Stir 2-3mn until a little translucent and sticky.

    Add your squash, stir for a minute.

    Add 2 tbsp fish sauce.

    Add water/stock, stir well & cover. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer, covered, 20 minutes.

    Adjust for water if needed ; the Juk must be thick, but still quite soupy. Let it simmer uncovered 5 to 10 more minutes. 

  5. Finishing touches

    Turn off the heat. Add the rest of your fish sauce and your toasted sesame oil.

    Reheat your mushrooms 1 to 2 minutes. 

    Serve this Juk in bowls, with your mushroom and your minced green onions on top.

Keywords: home made, Juk, rice porridge, pumpkin rice porridge, Pumpkin porridge, Hobak-Juk, comfort food, comforting, authentic Korean meal
Read it online: https://multicarbs.com/recipe/pumpkin-rice-porridge-korean-inspired-juk/

Thank you for trying out this recipe ! Do not hesitate to leave some feedback. I hope it brightened your day.