Hobakjuk (호박죽) Korean Pumpkin or Winter Squash Porridge
This recipe is from Aeri of Aeri's Kitchen (http://aeriskitchen.com/), with a very slight adaptation. Though the name Hobakjuk means Pumpkin Porridge, you can use any seasonable winter squash, just make sure it's about the same weight and you check it during the roasting period. Substituting canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!) is possible but not recommended. It's also possible to boil the squash instead of oven roasting, but doing so will mellow the squash flavor. Finally, you can use less water in the blender step if you want a stronger flavor from the squash, but consider adapting how much slurry you put in as this will also make it a bit thicker.
READY IN: 1hr 49mins
SERVES: 4
YIELD: 1 1/2 Quart
UNITS: US
INGREDIENTS
NutritionDIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut pumpkin in half and remove all seeds and stringy bits. Cover in foil and bake for 45mins.
- While pumpkin bakes, combine ingredients for rice balls. Knead dough for several minutes until it achieves a "playdough" like consistency.
- Form dough into small, uniform balls, about the size of a marble. Store balls with a moderate dusting of sweet rice flour to prevent sticking until ready to use.
- In a pan, combine water and brown sugar for sweet beans. Heat on medium high and stir until sugar dissolves.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans, then raise temperature to high and cook for 7 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Once the syrup has condensed and become thick, remove the beans from the heat.
- Once the pumpkin has cooked to fork tender, remove from the oven and let it cool before scooping out the inside and discarding the shell.
- Add pumpkin and 3 cups of water to a blender, blending on high until smooth.
- Place the pumpkin/water mix into a pot and heat on medium high until hot.
- In a bowl, thoroughly mix 1/4 cup water with 3tbs of sweet rice flour to form a slurry. Add slurry to hot pumpkin mixture and stir immediately to prevent lumps.
- Add the granulated sugar and salt.
- Bring porridge to a boil, then add rice balls.
- Increase temperature to high and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent rice balls from sticking. The porridge is done when the rice balls are soft and chewy.
- To serve, pour porridge over black beans in individual bowls. Garnish with a few beans. Serve with sugar.