Gangjuk (Gyeongsang Kimchi Bean-Sprout Porridge)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •3-quart heavy pot or small soup pot
• •Slotted spoon or small strainer
• •Wooden spoon
• •Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the broth

   Put the water, kelp, and cleaned anchovies in a 3-quart pot. Bring it just to a simmer over medium heat, then pull the kelp out right away. Kelp gives depth quickly, but if it stays through a boil it turns the broth slick and bitter. Simmer the anchovies 10 minutes more, then remove them.

2. 2

   Soften the kimchi

   Add the chopped kimchi, kimchi brine, onion, garlic, and gochugaru if using. Simmer 8 minutes, uncovered, until the kimchi bends softly and the broth turns a clear rusty red. This step matters because sour kimchi needs time to give its flavor to the broth before the rice thickens everything.

3. 3

   Add the rice

   Stir in the cold cooked rice, breaking up any clumps against the side of the pot. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the grains swell without catching on the bottom. Do not beat the rice to paste. Gangjuk should be soft and loose, with grains still visible.

4. 4

   Cook the sprouts

   Add the soybean sprouts and keep the pot uncovered. Simmer 6 minutes, pressing the sprouts down once or twice so they cook evenly. With soybean sprouts, choose one way and stay with it: lid on the whole time or lid off the whole time. Here we use lid off because the porridge needs stirring, and the sprouts keep their clean bite.

5. 5

   Season and rest

   Stir in the soup soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then taste before adding anything else. Kimchi brine can be sharp one month and gentle the next, so the final salt must answer the pot in front of you. If the porridge is thicker than you like, add 1/2 cup water and simmer 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest 3 minutes so the rice settles.

6. 6

   Finish the bowls

   Ladle the gangjuk into bowls and scatter scallion over the top. Add a few drops of sesame oil only if your kimchi is very sharp; it rounds the edge, but too much makes the whole bowl taste of sesame. Crush gim over each bowl if you want the breakfast-table version many homes use. Serve hot with a spoon, not chopsticks. This is a dish for leaning over the bowl.

Chef Tips

• •Use sour kimchi. Fresh kimchi tastes raw and separate here. If your kimchi is young, add 2 teaspoons rice vinegar with the brine and simmer it the full 8 minutes before the rice goes in.
• •Cold rice is the right rice. Fresh hot rice dissolves too fast and makes the pot gluey. If you must use fresh rice, spread it on a plate for 20 minutes first so the grains firm up.
• •Do not fix bland gangjuk with gochujang. It sweetens and muddies the broth. Use kimchi brine, soup soy sauce, and a measured pinch of salt, then stop while the cabbage and sprouts still taste like themselves.
• •A mushroom-kelp broth can replace the anchovy broth for a meatless table. Use 3 dried shiitakes with the kelp, simmer 15 minutes, and slice the mushrooms back into the pot. The flavor becomes earthier, but the dish remains honest.

Advance Preparation

• •The anchovy-kelp broth can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. This turns gangjuk into a 20-minute breakfast pot.
• •Chop the kimchi and measure the brine the night before. Keep them together in a covered container so the morning work is only simmering.
• •Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated. The rice will thicken as it sits, so loosen each serving with 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and reheat until bubbling at the edge. The sprouts will soften, but the bowl will still feed you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 490g)