Chicken and Mushroom Juk (Korean Rice Porridge) With Kimchi

A Warm Hug in a Bowl of Porridge

For at least 3,000 years, this soothing staple rice gruel has been cooked in various ways throughout Asia, deeply rooted in a number of culinary traditions. In its most basic form, the dish is comprised of grains, such as rice or barley, and water or stock, simmered together until they form a thick, cream-like porridge. Juk’s popularity is due in part to its healing and nourishing characteristics. It’s warming to the body, highly hydrating, and soothing for the stomach, and when made with a good stock or bone broth, is rich in protein and collagen. The comforting porridge is a quintessential sick day food, especially for an upset stomach. Mothers even also use juk to wean their babies, and the elderly often eat it to ward off disease.

Juk

Read more about Juk here.

Ingredients

Serves 4 portions

For the Rice Porridge

  • 1 cup short grain rice
  • 4 1/2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, plus 4 extra for garnish, stems removed
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 8 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)

To Serve

  • 6 ounces roasted chicken meat, skinless and boneless, store-bought or leftovers
  • 1/2 packed cup drained cabbage kimchi
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 tablespoons fried shallots
  • 4 teaspoons chopped chives
  • 1/4 teaspoon black sesame seeds
  • Soy sauce, for serving

Method

  1. Rinse and soak the rice, with enough water to cover the rice, for at least 30 minutes or longer. Drain well and set aside.
  2. While the rice is soaking, cut the mushrooms into 1/3-inch cubes. Set aside.
  3. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven, heat the sesame oil over medium-low heat until just fragrant, but do not burn.
  4. Add drained rice and lightly toast it, for about 2 minutes, while stirring constantly. Add mushrooms and keep stirring to sauté another 1 to 2 minutes, until very dry. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan often to prevent the rice and mushrooms from sticking.
  5. Pour the chicken stock into the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir well. Lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 45 minutes until liquid is reduced, and rice is plump and broken. While simmering, make sure to stir the rice every 15 minutes to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the toppings to serve: Shred the chicken meat, set aside. Chop the kimchi, set aside. Slice the reserved 4 mushrooms thinly and place them in a lightly greased or a non-stick frying pan with a pinch of salt over medium heat. Toast the mushrooms until they are light brown in color on both sides. Set aside.
  7. To serve, warm up the shredded chicken meat. Divide the rice porridge between 4 bowls and garnish with warm shredded chicken meat, chopped kimchi, toasted mushroom slices, fried shallots, chopped chives, and black sesame seeds.
  8. Serve immediately with soy sauce on the side.

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Social media

@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageWe made it into the commercial! We have been cooking at Tottenham’s H-Club for a few seasons now thanks to @regionallondonchef.  So fun to bring some Korean flavors to the Spurs VIP club.  COYS! 
#koreanfood #korea #tottenhamhotspur #tottenham #football #tottenhamstadium #tottenhamhotspurstadium @chefandrewhales @jooyoung1229 @spursofficial @tottenhamhotspurstadium3 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageVery honored to attend the Korean President’s state dinner. My cousin, Eugene, as my date! 🥰 
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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageWow!  What a busy week! And, now this morning check out my kimchi pancakes recipe on James Martin’s Saturday Morning show. Was so fun hanging with @jossstone @carolvorders @chefronniem @jamesmartinchef and feeding them!  Such a great group with delish food and laughs!  It was National Kimchi Day this week and this savory kimchi pancake recipe is perfect to celebrate Korea’s fave dish. 
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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageHappy 84th birthday daddy!! 

My father was born in 1939 in Chongju, a city in what is now in North Korea. He and his family (8 brothers and sisters) fled south during the war and he grew up as a refugee on Jeju island.  He still remembers asking American soldiers for “bonbons” as a child. Somehow he made it to Seoul National University medical school through hard work and determination. He immigrated to the USA to do his internship and residency and practiced as a psychiatrist, until retiring at 75. 
He raised two daughter (me and my sis!) with my mom and is a source of constant inspiration for us both to this day. At 84 years old he is still super healthy, doesn’t take any medicine (unheard of at his age!) and still going strong in every way. 

I love you daddy so much!  Happy happy birthday!  Xx❤️❤️ I’ll always be your little girl! ❤️❤️

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