Savory, creamy and soothing rice porridge with earthy pumpkin.

Hobak Juk - Squash Rice Porridge

Serves 2 - 3

One traditional way to make hobak juk is out of pureed hobak lightly sweetened and cooked with balls of freshly made tteok. I wanted a savory hobak juk to serve as a light dinner and based this one around a simple jook or rice porridge with hobak added. Topped with a fried egg and some leftover shredded pork and this made for a perfect soothing meal with a little kimchi.

Ingredients

160g (0.75 c) glutinious rice, rinsed

1 t kosher salt

1 mushroom broth packet or vegetable bullion

0.25 t ground ginger

1,200ml (6 c) water

220g peeled kabosha squash, cut into 0.25 in pieces

1 T yondu or soup soy

Finishing

Fried eggs

Leftover Ssamjang Pulled Pork (recipe here) - optional

Sliced scallions

Recipe Know-how

1.      In a medium-wide pot, place the rice, salt, broth, and ground ginger.

• Add a little of the water and stir to dissolve the ginger.

• Add 1,000ml (5 c) the remaining water.

• Bring to a boil uncovered.

• Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.

• Simmer stirring occasionally for 40 minutes.

It is important to stir as the jook will begin to stick to the bottom of the pot as it thickens.

• Add the squash and remaining water.

• Cook 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally as before.

• Season with the yondu.

• Taste for seasoning and adjust with more yondu or salt as desired.

• Allow to stand off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.

2.      Serve plain or with your favorite toppings.