Korean Abalone Rice Porridge

Ingredients

• 8 pieces whole dried anchovies
• 3 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup short-grain white rice
• 4 medium fresh abalone, cleaned
• 2 tablespoons Korean anchovies (for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon extra-virgin sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Set a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 8 whole dried anchovies and 3 dried shiitake mushrooms to the dry pot — you don't need oil. Toast them gently, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. You should smell a savory, ocean-forward aroma without any burnt edge. Remove the anchovies and mushrooms to a plate.

2. 2

   Pour 6 cups of water into the pot and bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, about 3-4 minutes. Return the toasted anchovies and mushrooms to the water — they'll infuse the broth as it simmers. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. The broth should look pale golden and smell deeply savory. Taste it: it should be mild but flavorful, not fishy.

3. 3

   Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing gently on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all the flavor. Discard the spent anchovies and mushrooms. You should have about 5.5 cups of clear, golden broth. Return the broth to the pot.

4. 4

   While the broth is simmering, prepare the abalone. Rinse 4 medium fresh abalone under cold water and scrub the shell with a soft brush to remove any debris. Using an abalone knife or small flat knife, carefully separate each abalone from its shell — slide the blade along the interior shell, keeping the knife parallel to avoid puncturing the meat. Rinse each piece thoroughly under cold water and cut into 0.25-inch-thick slices against the grain. Set aside on a clean plate — this tender seafood will cook in seconds.

5. 5

   Rinse 1 cup of short-grain white rice under cold running water in a fine-mesh strainer, rubbing the grains gently between your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch and prevents a gluey, overly thick porridge. Drain well.

6. 6

   Pour the hot anchovy broth back into the Dutch oven and bring it to a steady boil over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed rice all at once, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The mixture will foam slightly — this is normal. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. Stir every few minutes. The rice grains should break down and the porridge should become creamy and flow slightly when you tilt the pot. Taste a grain: it should be very tender, almost dissolving on your tongue.

7. 7

   When the rice is fully cooked and creamy, carefully add the sliced abalone to the simmering porridge — do not stir immediately. Let the abalone sit in the hot broth for 20-30 seconds until it turns opaque white on the edges, then gently stir once to distribute. This quick cooking keeps the abalone tender and prevents it from becoming rubbery. Remove from heat immediately.

8. 8

   Taste the porridge and season with 1 tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce and 0.5 teaspoon of kosher salt. Stir gently. The broth should taste balanced — savory but not aggressively salty, with a subtle ocean depth.

9. 9

   Ladle the hot porridge into four deep bowls, dividing the abalone slices evenly. Drizzle 0.125 teaspoon of extra-virgin sesame oil over each bowl — this fragrant oil blooms in the heat. Top each bowl with 0.5 tablespoon of Korean anchovies (optional crispy garnish) and 0.75 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds. If you like a touch of heat, sprinkle a pinch of gochugaru over the top. Serve immediately while piping hot.

Tools you’ll need

• 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
• fine-mesh strainer
• wooden spoon
• large bowl
• abalone knife or small flat knife
• soft vegetable brush
• ladle
• four deep bowls
• instant-read thermometer (optional)

More recipes like this

• 

  Vietnamese Chicken Curry (Cà Ri Gà)

  28 min

• 

  Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant

  25 min

• 

  Patatas Bravas

  25 min

• 

  Quick Chicken and Leek Pie

  28 min