Hobakjuk is a Korean pumpkin porridge that is sweet and comforting. It’s an easy recipe perfect for healing!
This Korean pumpkin porridge is unlike your typical porridge! It is made with kabocha squash, nuts, and rice flour. It’s meant to be sweet and thick, but since squash helps reduce inflammation and the nuts are filled with vitamins and minerals—this becomes a treat that helps with healing.
There are many ways to make this soup and I made sure that what I will share is the easiest way so that when you are under the weather, you can make a big batch and consume it at different meal times.
Ingredients for Hobakjuk
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Sweet Pumpkin
The main ingredient of this recipe is pumpkin. Typically, Korean Squash is used. If you’re in the US, Kabocha Squash is the closest substitute to it. As mentioned, it helps with reducing inflammation thus its healing properties.
Similar to the US, pumpkin is harvested and at its peak during late fall so this can also be a warm winter food.
Nuts
For this recipe, we will be using pine nuts, walnuts, and roasted almonds. More than the nutty taste, we are after the nutrients that these contain. They will also add texture to the soup depending on your preference.
If you are allergic to any of these nuts, you can skip one and add more of the others. If you are allergic to nuts in general, you can skip them entirely. It’s okay!
Rice Flour
There are two ways to use rice flour in the porridge. You can make rice cake balls or make a slurry.
Rice cake balls are made by combining rice flour and a little water to create a dough. You’ll divide them into pieces to make balls, add them directly to the porridge, and it turns into a chewy add-on to the dish. This adds body to it.
The other way is by combining rice flour and more water to create a slurry. This will be the thickening agent that will make a velvety porridge consistency.
Honey or Sugar
Between the two, I recommend using honey. It will not only sweeten the porridge, but it is also wholesome.
To help balance and bring out the taste of each ingredient, we will use a bit of salt.
How to Make Korean Pumpkin Porridge?
To prepare the squash, remove the soft flesh and the seeds in the center. Peel the squash by using a sharp, trusty knife. Cut them into wedges and carefully slice off the skin. After peeling, slice the squash into smaller pieces. Be careful as you do this because pumpkin is hard.
In a blender, put the squash, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, and water and blend until the squash has broken down. If you like the nuts chunky, blend until only coarse. If not, blend until everything is completely homogenous.
In a deep pot on high heat, place your squash mixture and cook it for 15-20 minutes until the soup has thickened a bit.
Combine rice flour and water to make a slurry. Gradually add the mixture into the boiling pumpkin while mixing so it does not clump. This will make the porridge velvety.
Season with honey and a bit of salt. Taste and adjust according to your preference. Be mindful that the squash is already sweet, so season gradually. Serve in a bowl and garnish with nuts.
Serving and Storage
Eat this hot and feel better! The porridge freezes well so you can portion it on silicone molds then transfer it to a bag so you can have soup anytime. Freeze for a couple of months, otherwise place in the fridge for 5 days—reheat it stovetop to bring it back to its original consistency.
Other healing recipes you might like:
Try this recipe out and make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Korean Pumpkin Porridge (Hobak Juk)
Equipment
- Blender
- Deep Pot
Ingredients
- 500 grams Sweet Pumpkin
- 1 tbsp Pine Nuts
- 1/4 cup Walnuts
- 1/4 cup Roasted Almonds
- 5 cups Water For soup
- 1/2 cup Rice Flour
- 1/2 cup Water For slurry
- 5 tbsp Honey or Sugar Or to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the squash by removing the soft flesh in the middle and the seeds. Divide it into wedges and then carefully slice off the skin. Slice it then into smaller pieces.
- Combine sliced pumpkin, pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, and water in a blender. Blend until the desired chunkiness of nuts is reached. Otherwise, blend thoroughly.
- In a deep pot, place the squash mixture and boil for 15-20 minutes until it has slightly thickened.
- Make a slurry by combining rice flour and water. Add this gradually to boiling pumpkin and mix it right away to keep the rice mixture from clumping.
- Season with honey and salt according to taste.
- Garnish with nuts, eat it hot, and feel better!
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