Soft fermented lemon and a little spice permeate this saucy braise of chickpeas and canned tuna atop silky juk.

Braised Chickpeas with Tuna and Preserved lemon

Serves 4 - 6

I can’t say where the idea for this recipe came from but, it’s one of the best things I’ve made in 2024!! The combination of chickpeas, spices, vegetables with the perfect bite and flavor of tuna all merge perfectly.

While the braised topping can be served over rice, the textural difference between the braise and silky juk or Korean rice porridge is sublime.

Ingredients

*Juk

1,200ml (6 c) water

180g (0.75 c) glutinous rice, rinsed

5ml (1 t) sesame oil

5g (1 t) mushroom bullion

2g (0.50 t) kosher salt 

**Chickpeas

200g (1 c) chickpeas, soaked overnight

1,000ml (5 c) water

22g (1.5 T) mushroom bullion

2 bay leaves 

Braise

30ml (2 T) olive oil

15g (1 T) ginger, minced

7 garlic cloves, minced

120g (4 – 5) scallions, sliced, greens and whites kept separate

6g (1.5 t) gochugaru

3g (0.75 t) ground black pepper

2g (1 t) dried thyme

1g (1 t) dried oregano

1g (0.50 t) ground turmeric

1g (0.25 t) MSG

***½ preserved lemon, zest diced finely and pulp minced well, kept separate

200g (1 heaped cup) carrot, 0.25 in dice

30ml (2 T) yondu, fish sauce or soy sauce

15ml (1 T) mirin

130g (1 medium) red bell pepper, 0.25 in dice

200g (2 – 4oz cans) tuna, drained

Method

Juk

1.      In a medium pot bring the juk ingredients to a boil covered.

Keep an eye on the pot as it comes to a boil to prevent boil over.

• Reduce to a simmer and cook covered stirring occasionally to prevent sticking for 1 hour.

The juk is completed with the rice is broken down completely and the porridge is thick.

Adjust the thickness with hot water as desired though for this, I prefer a thicker porridge.

Start the chickpeas as the juk cooks.

Chickpeas

2.      In a medium pot, bring the chickpeas and water to a boil covered.

• Remove and discard the impurities that rise.

• Reduce heat to a simmer and add the bay leaves and seasoning.

• Simmer for 60 minutes or until cooked through.

Chickpeas are cooked through when the skins are tender and the centers are creamy. I like to try 3 individual chickpeas taken from different areas of the pot. If 1 is not fully cooked, I continue to cook until when tested again, all 3 tried chickpeas are cooked through.

If not fully cooked after 60 minutes, test again every 10 minutes until cooked through.

When the chickpeas are cooked through, begin the braise.

• Drain but reserve the cooking liquid.

Braise

3.      Heat a large saute pan over medium-high.

• Add the olive oil and heat for 30 seconds.

• Add the garlic and ginger sautéing for 45 seconds.

• Add the scallion whites and cook 1 minute longer.

• Add the spices, herbs and dry seasonings, sauteing for 30 seconds.

• Add 0.50 t reserved lemon pulp for seasoning followed by the carrots, yondu and mirin. Cook 1 minute.

• Deglaze with 200ml (1 c) chickpea cooking liquid.

• Cover and reduce to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes.

• Add the peppers, cover and simmer 5 minutes longer.

You can also adjust the amount of liquid in the dish adding up to 100ml (0.50 c) additional reserved cooking liquid to make the braise saucy but not soupy.

• Add the tuna and all the lemon zest, cover and simmer 5 minutes longer.

• Finish by tossing through the scallion greens.

• Taste and adjust seasoning using more of the lemon pulp or salt as necessary.

• Taste and adjust the juk seasoning as desired though it should not be highly seasoned as the topping is strongly flavored.

4.      Serve by spooning juk into bowls and topping with the braise.