Entree: South Korea – Gangwon – 전복죽 ➤ Jeonbok juk (Korean abalone rice porridge)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 45 min

Total 1 hr

Ingredients

- 1/2 cup (100 g) short-grain rice
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water or light seafood stock
- 2 fresh abalones, cleaned, approx. 6 oz (170 g) each
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
- 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (5 g) sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp (5 ml) light soy sauce
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 30 g)
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) toasted sesame seeds
- Optional: 1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear; drain.
2. Prepare the abalones: remove from shells if necessary, trim any tough edges, thinly slice the meat and reserve the trimmings and liver if available.
3. In a medium pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic and abalone trimmings briefly until fragrant, about 1 minute; add water or seafood stock and bring to a simmer to extract flavor, 8–10 minutes. Strain and return liquid to the pot.
4. Add the drained rice to the pot of strained stock, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice breaks down and porridge is creamy, about 30–40 minutes. Add more water if it becomes too thick.
5. When the porridge reaches a silky consistency, add the sliced abalone and cook gently for 3–5 minutes until just tender; do not overcook abalone.
6. Stir in sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt to taste. If using, slowly stream in the beaten egg while stirring to create ribbons.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot.