Jeonbokjuk

Jeonbokjuk (Korean Abalone Porridge)

Jeonbokjuk is a smooth, savory Korean rice porridge enriched with tender abalone and finished with toasted sesame oil and seeds. It is traditionally served as a nourishing meal for the unwell or postpartum recovery.

Prep

10 min

Cook

50 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •100 g (½ cup) short-grain white rice, chapssal (Korean sticky rice) preferred
• •100 g (3½ oz) fresh abalone, canned abalone in brine is the practical substitute; reserve the brine
• •1.2 L (5 cups) water, or mild kelp broth (dashima) for deeper flavor
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) soy sauce, jin ganjang (Korean light soy sauce)
• •5 ml (1 tsp) sesame oil, toasted, pure (chamgireum)
• •5 g (1 tsp) toasted sesame seeds, finely ground in a mortar
• •3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt, adjust after tasting soy sauce
• •15 g (1 tbsp) gim (nori), optional, shredded, for garnish
• •20 g (1½ tbsp) green onion, finely sliced, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the rice in three to four changes of cold water until the water runs nearly clear, then drain.
2. 2 In a heavy pot, combine the rinsed rice and 1 L (about 4 cups) of the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
3. 3 Cook uncovered at a low simmer for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and mashing any whole grains against the side of the pot to release starch. The rice should be very soft and the porridge loose but creamy; add the remaining 200 ml (¾ cup) water as needed to keep it spoonable.
4. 4 While the rice cooks, prepare the abalone: scrub fresh abalone with a brush under cold running water and, if using canned, drain and reserve 60 ml (¼ cup) of the brine. Slice the abalone into 3–4 mm (⅛ in) pieces. To tenderize, soak fresh slices in the reserved abalone brine (or a splash of rice wine plus a pinch of salt) for 10 minutes, then rinse.
5. 5 Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil and blanch the abalone slices for 30 seconds if fresh, or 1 minute if canned; this step is essential for fresh abalone to firm the texture. Drain.
6. 6 Stir the blanched abalone, the reserved brine, and the soy sauce into the porridge and simmer 5 more minutes so the abalone absorbs the seasoning.
7. 7 Season with salt to taste, then stir in the toasted sesame oil off the heat.
8. 8 Ladle into warm bowls and top each serving with ground sesame seeds, shredded gim, and sliced green onion. Serve immediately, very hot.