Pumpkin Porridge (Hobakjuk)
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5
Pumpkin Porridge (Hobakjuk)
Description
In Pumpkin Porridge (Hobakjuk), whole kabocha squash is steamed until soft, peeled, and blended with water, sugar, and salt to create a silky pumpkin base. Glutinous rice flour mixed with water is gradually stirred in to thicken the porridge, giving it a smooth, creamy texture without lumps.
The optional addition of small rice cake balls made from glutinous rice flour provides a chewy element to contrast the soft pumpkin. The porridge can be served warm or cooled, offering a subtle sweetness balanced by the pumpkin's natural flavor and a mild seasoning of salt.
This dish originates from Korean cuisine and serves as a nourishing breakfast or snack. It highlights pumpkin's natural sweetness and the thickening qualities of sweet rice flour for a comforting texture.
Ingredients
MAIN
- 1.7 kg kabocha (3.75 pounds) kent pumpkin or butternut squash (unpeeled weight)
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 cup glutinous rice flour aka sweet rice flour/糯米粉
- 3 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp sugar or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp salt fine sea salt
RICE CAKE BALLS (OPTIONAL) – MAKE 30 SMALL BALLS
- 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour aka sweet rice flour/糯米粉
- 1/4 tsp salt fine sea salt
- 4 Tbsp water up to 5 Tbsp, hot
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PORRIDGE
- Cut the pumpkin (kabocha squash) into quadrants. Remove the seeds and stringy bits with a knife and/or spoon.
- Place the pumpkin into a steamer and steam them over rolling boiling water until the pumpkin is tender and soft. Cool down the pumpkin until it’s easy to handle. Cut the skin off from the flesh and discard. Chop the pumpkin into smaller chunks.
- Place the pumpkin, water (3 cups), sugar and the salt into a blender. Blend it until pureed. Pour the liquefied pumpkin into a medium size saucepan and boil it over medium high heat for 10 mins. Stir it often to avoid it burning.
- Combine and mix the sweet rice flour and the water (3 Tbsp) in a small bowl. It should be a sticky gluey texture. Gradually pour it in to the pumpkin porridge and stir it consistently to avoid lumps. Simmer the porridge over low heat for a further 3 mins. Remove it from the heat and serve. (Optionally, garnish with some rice cake balls.)The porridge can be served warm or cold. The unused portion can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for a month. It reheats well in a microwave but make sure you cover with a microwaveable lid to avoid a messy clean up afterwards.
HOW TO MAKE RICE CAKE BALLS
- Combine the sweet rice flour and salt. Gradually pour the hot water over them and start kneading with your hands. (Watch out for the hot temperature. Though it cools down fast. You can use a mixing spoon initially until it’s safe to handle with your hands.) Make a big dough then turn it into a long thin cylinder shaped dough. Break the dough into smaller pieces (allow to make 30 small balls) then roll them on your palm, making small rice cake balls. (You might be tempted to make bigger balls to save your time and labor, but small balls taste better and it balances out well with the porridge quantity.)
- Boil some water in a small pot. Once the water is rapidly boiling gently drop in the rice cake balls. Boil them for about 2 minutes. (They will sink to the bottom at first then they will float as they are cooked.) Scoop out the rice cake balls using a strainer then transfer them into a bowl with (cold) water then set it aside until needed.
- Garnish on the pumpkin porridge.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 192 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 192kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 46g | 15% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Sodium | 309mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 1001mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 3875IU | 78% |
| Vitamin C | 34.8mg | 39% |
| Calcium | 83mg | 8% |
| Iron | 1.7mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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