Soegogi-yachae-juk (Beef and Vegetable Porridge)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 3-quart pot or Korean stone pot
• •Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
• •Fine knife for small vegetable dice

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the rice

   Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then soak it for 20 minutes if you have the time. Drain well. Rinsing keeps the porridge clean instead of gluey, and soaking helps the grains break down evenly without scorching at the bottom.

2. 2

   Season the beef

   Mix the minced beef with 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, the mirin if using, garlic, and black pepper. Let it sit while you cut the vegetables. This short seasoning gives the beef a little depth without turning the whole porridge salty.

3. 3

   Cut the vegetables

   Dice the onion, carrot, shiitake, and zucchini into small, even pieces, about 5 mm. Keep the zucchini separate because it softens faster. This knife work is not decoration. Porridge should move smoothly on the spoon, with little bites of vegetable, not large pieces interrupting the bowl.

   Frozen mixed vegetables are a safe weeknight shortcut only if the pieces are small. Chop them finer before they go into the pot.
4. 4

   Toast beef and rice

   Warm 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the beef and stir until it loses its raw color, about 2 minutes. Add the drained rice, onion, carrot, and shiitake, and stir 4 to 5 minutes, until the rice looks glossy and the vegetables begin to soften. This is the step that gives juk its body; the oil coats the grains and carries the beef flavor through the pot.

5. 5

   Simmer slowly

   Add 5 cups stock, broth, or water and scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Bring it to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes and more often near the end. The rice should swell, split, and thicken the liquid into a soft porridge. If it gets too thick before the grains are tender, add hot water 1/4 cup at a time.

6. 6

   Add zucchini

   Stir in the diced zucchini for the last 7 minutes of cooking. Add it earlier and it disappears; add it now and it stays green and gentle, which is what this bowl needs.

7. 7

   Season at the end

   Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, then taste. Add more salt in pinches only if the porridge tastes flat. Seasoning late matters because simmering concentrates the pot, and a porridge meant to comfort should not leave the mouth thirsty.

8. 8

   Serve the bowls

   Ladle the juk into warm bowls. Scatter scallion, sesame seeds, and gim strips over the top if using. Serve with a spoon, kimchi or a mild jangajji (pickled vegetable) on the side, and more salt or soy sauce at the table for those who need it.

Chef Tips

• •Use short-grain rice, not jasmine or basmati. Korean juk depends on starch that releases slowly and thickens the pot; long-grain rice stays separate and never gives the same soft body.
• •For a quicker bowl, use 3 cups cooked rice and 4 cups stock, then simmer 18 to 20 minutes. It will not have quite the same depth as rice toasted from raw, but it is an honest weeknight version.
• •Keep the seasoning quiet. Kimchi or pickles at the side can be sharp, but the porridge itself should stay mild enough for breakfast or a tired stomach.
• •If cooking for someone ill, use water or unsalted stock, reduce the sesame oil to 2 teaspoons total, and leave the gim off. The dish will be plainer, and that is sometimes the kindness.

Advance Preparation

• •The rice can be rinsed and soaked up to 8 hours ahead in the refrigerator, then drained before cooking.
• •The vegetables can be diced a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator, but keep the zucchini separate so it does not weep into the others.
• •Leftover juk keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat gently with a splash of water or stock, stirring often, because porridge thickens as it sits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 430g)