Jeonbokjuk

Jeonbokjuk is a type of juk, the Korean rice porridge, made with abalone and white rice. It is a dish associated with Jeju Island and is considered a comforting food for convalescents, the ill and the elderly.

History

Abalone holds a prominent place in Korean cuisine as a high-quality ingredient, and for centuries it was offered as a gift to the king. Jeonbokjuk developed around that esteem and is tied to Jeju Island, where abalone is harvested in abundance. The sources do not allow the exact date of its origin or its creator to be established.

Among the juk family, jeonbokjuk stands out for its mild flavour and easy digestion. It can be made with or without the abalone's internal organs; the version with organs takes on a greenish tint, while the version without them is ivory in colour.

Culture

In Korea, juk is part of everyday eating and of recovery food, and jeonbokjuk is regarded both as a delicacy and as a nutritional supplement. Preparation involves cleaning the abalone, removing the flesh, parboiling it lightly and slicing it thinly before stir-frying it with sesame oil and soaked rice. It then simmers gently for about thirty minutes and is seasoned with salt or ganjang, Korean soy sauce. Within the juk family there are other varieties, such as hobak-juk made with pumpkin, jatjuk made with pine nuts and heugimja-juk made with black sesame.