Jeonbok-juk (전복죽, Abalone Rice Porridge)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small stiff brush or clean toothbrush for scrubbing abalone
• •Sturdy spoon and folded kitchen towel for removing abalone from shells
• •3-quart heavy-bottomed pot
• •Wooden spoon or rice paddle
• •Fine sieve for draining soaked rice

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the rice

   Rinse the rice in 3 or 4 changes of cold water, rubbing it lightly between your hands, until the water runs mostly clear. Soak it in fresh cold water for 30 minutes, then drain it in a sieve for 10 minutes. The soaking softens the center of each grain; the draining lets the sesame oil coat the rice instead of sliding off.

2. 2

   Make kelp water

   Put 7 cups water and the dried kelp in a small pot over medium heat. When small bubbles gather at the edge, about 8 to 10 minutes, remove the kelp and keep the water hot. Do not boil the kelp hard. It should give body, not a slick bitter taste.

3. 3

   Clean the abalones

   Hold each abalone in a folded towel. Sprinkle the flesh side with the coarse salt and scrub the dark skirt and foot with a small brush under cold running water until the gray film lightens. Slide a sturdy spoon between the flesh and shell to loosen it, then cut away the hard mouth at the pointed end. Separate the green viscera carefully and keep it only if the abalone is very fresh and smells clean.

   If the abalone was sold frozen and already cleaned, or if the viscera smells sour or harsh, discard the viscera. The porridge will be pale, but it will be right.
4. 4

   Slice and mash

   Trim away any gritty black strand from the viscera. Chop the viscera finely, then mash it with 1/2 cup of the hot kelp water until loose. If you are not using viscera, reserve that 1/2 cup kelp water for loosening the porridge later. Slice the abalone meat crosswise into 2 mm pieces and set aside the prettiest quarter of the slices for the end.

5. 5

   Toast the rice

   Set a 3-quart heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil, the drained rice, and three quarters of the abalone slices. Stir for 3 minutes, until the rice edges look partly translucent and the abalone tightens at the edges. Add the chopped viscera mixture, if using, and stir 1 minute more. Keep the heat modest. Browning belongs to other dishes.

6. 6

   Simmer slowly

   Pour in 2 cups hot kelp water and stir, scraping the bottom and corners, until the rice thickens, about 5 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups more hot kelp water in three additions, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, and simmer 30 to 35 minutes. The grains should open and the porridge should move in slow waves from the spoon. If it tightens before the rice blooms, add the reserved 1/2 cup hot kelp water a little at a time.

   A heavy pot matters here. Thin pots scorch porridge at the corners, and burnt rice will carry through the whole bowl.
7. 7

   Season at the end

   Fold in the reserved abalone slices, the soup soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, just until the last slices are cooked through. Taste, then add up to 1/4 teaspoon more salt only if the porridge tastes flat. The seasoning should make the abalone clearer, not make the bowl salty.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Cover the pot and let the porridge rest 5 minutes so the grains settle. Ladle into bowls and finish with scallion, gim strips, and sesame seeds. Serve with mild baechu-kimchi or dongchimi, not a loud side dish that buries the abalone.

Chef Tips

• •Buy live or just-shucked abalone from a fishmonger you trust. The flesh should be firm and the scent clean. Use the viscera only from abalone that is very fresh; that green color is not worth poor seafood.
• •Frozen cleaned abalone is an honest substitute for a weeknight bowl. You will lose the green color and some depth, so keep the seasoning even quieter and let the sliced meat stay tender.
• •Slice the abalone thin, about 2 mm. Thick slices turn chewy in porridge, especially when someone is eating this because they need gentleness.
• •If you do not have guk-ganjang (soup soy sauce), use 1/2 teaspoon regular soy sauce and add salt carefully at the end. Regular soy darkens the porridge fast, and this dish should stay pale or jade, not brown.
• •Leftovers thicken as they cool. Refrigerate within 2 hours, keep up to 2 days, and reheat gently with hot water added spoon by spoon. Do not boil it hard on the second day.

Advance Preparation

• •The kelp water can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat it before adding to the rice so the porridge cooks evenly.
• •The rice can be rinsed and soaked up to 4 hours ahead in the refrigerator. Drain it for 10 minutes before cooking.
• •Clean and slice the abalone the same day you cook it. If using the viscera, use it immediately after cleaning; it is too perishable to treat casually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 460g)