I’ve had a hard time finding this dish in a restaurant on the US east coast, and an even harder time trying to find a base recipe to go from. Sometimes you need a Korean grandmother! Juk (jook) is a Korean comfort food and type of rice porridge, similar to a Chinese congee. Often made from leftover doenjang (soybean paste) jigae, it lends itself well as a base for many flavors. I decided to make a heartier, dinner-portion version of the dish, and add a seasonal vegetable, eggplant, which lends itself well to the aesthetic. Shitakes or another mushroom would also match this flavor profile.
The doenjang can be found GF if necessary, see the Waygook Kitchen page. I chose a ground pork, but a ground beef, turkey, chicken, lamb, or even impossible meat will work well here. The key is to keep the vegetable pieces on the small side when chopping, and really cook the porridge down. The spinach (traditional) gets folded in at the very end, to make a savory dish that’s sure to please.
Ingredients
Method
- In a large, heavy-bottom pot, heat the sesame oil over medium, and stir fry in the meat, until browned.
- Add the onions and garlic, and stir-fry until the onions are translucent.
- Add the doenjang and rice, and mix to coat.
- Add the potatoes, eggplant, and water. Bring the broth to a simmer for about 20 minutes, and allow the porridge to reduce, while stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom. Add more water if necessary. The porridge will thicken, and the vegetables will soften.
- Fold the spinach into the porridge in batches, until it's all wilted.
- Finish with salt to taste, and serve with green onion as a garnish.
