Warm Comfort: Homemade Pumpkin Porridge and Side Dishes
Warm Comfort: Homemade Pumpkin Porridge and Side Dishes
Pumpkin Porridge and Side Dishes for My Ill Elder Brother
My elder brother is not feeling well and has been resting. My husband was going to visit him, so I quickly prepared this comforting pumpkin porridge and several side dishes to send along. This is a gift of warmth and care.
3 Kinds of Seasoned Vegetables- Oyster mushrooms 100g
- Cooked and prepared bracken (gosari) 25g
- Freshly prepared aster yomena (chwinamul) 25g
- Fish sauce (or soy sauce for seasoning)
- Minced garlic
- Vegetable broth (or anchovy broth)
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sesame oil
Bean Sprouts | Spinach- Bean sprouts 1 bag (approx. 200g)
- Spinach 150g
- Soy sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sesame oil
Stir-fried Anchovies- Anchovies 150g
- Dried cranberries 30g
- Shredded dates 20g
- Cooking wine (Mirin or similar) 3 Tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sesame oil
- Mayonnaise 1 Tbsp
- Cooking oil
Braised Beef- Beef (round or eye of round) 300g
- Cooking wine (Mirin or similar) 1/2 cup
- Soy sauce 1/2 cup
- Beef or kelp broth 2 cups
- Gochu peppers (Korean green chili) 70g
- Whole garlic cloves 50g
- Rice syrup (or corn syrup) 1/2 cup
Pumpkin Porridge- Pumpkin (kabocha or winter squash) 1 (approx. 1kg)
- Rice flour (non-glutinous) 1 cup (approx. 150g)
- Cooked and soaked black beans 1 cup (approx. 150g)
- Coarse sea salt 2 Tbsp
- Sugar 1/2 cup (adjust to taste)
- Bean sprouts 1 bag (approx. 200g)
- Spinach 150g
- Soy sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sesame oil
Stir-fried Anchovies- Anchovies 150g
- Dried cranberries 30g
- Shredded dates 20g
- Cooking wine (Mirin or similar) 3 Tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sesame oil
- Mayonnaise 1 Tbsp
- Cooking oil
Braised Beef- Beef (round or eye of round) 300g
- Cooking wine (Mirin or similar) 1/2 cup
- Soy sauce 1/2 cup
- Beef or kelp broth 2 cups
- Gochu peppers (Korean green chili) 70g
- Whole garlic cloves 50g
- Rice syrup (or corn syrup) 1/2 cup
Pumpkin Porridge- Pumpkin (kabocha or winter squash) 1 (approx. 1kg)
- Rice flour (non-glutinous) 1 cup (approx. 150g)
- Cooked and soaked black beans 1 cup (approx. 150g)
- Coarse sea salt 2 Tbsp
- Sugar 1/2 cup (adjust to taste)
- Beef (round or eye of round) 300g
- Cooking wine (Mirin or similar) 1/2 cup
- Soy sauce 1/2 cup
- Beef or kelp broth 2 cups
- Gochu peppers (Korean green chili) 70g
- Whole garlic cloves 50g
- Rice syrup (or corn syrup) 1/2 cup
Pumpkin Porridge- Pumpkin (kabocha or winter squash) 1 (approx. 1kg)
- Rice flour (non-glutinous) 1 cup (approx. 150g)
- Cooked and soaked black beans 1 cup (approx. 150g)
- Coarse sea salt 2 Tbsp
- Sugar 1/2 cup (adjust to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Sautéed Oyster Mushrooms] Blanch the prepared oyster mushrooms in boiling water, then rinse in cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Heat cooking oil in a pan, sauté minced garlic, then add vegetable broth (or other broth) and fish sauce (or soy sauce) to season. Finally, add roughly chopped Korean green chili peppers (optional) and stir-fry briefly. Turn off the heat and finish with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil. 
Step 2
[Seasoned Bracken (Gosari)] Cut the pre-cooked bracken into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, season the bracken with 1 Tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce) and 1 Tbsp minced garlic. Heat a pan and add the seasoned bracken. Pour in about one ladleful of the water used to boil bean sprouts (or vegetable broth) for moisture and sauté. Finish by adding toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil for a nutty aroma. 
Step 3
[Seasoned Aster Yomena (Chwinamul)] Blanch the cleaned aster yomena in a pot until tender. Rinse in cold water and squeeze out excess moisture, then cut into manageable pieces. In a bowl, combine the chwinamul, a little fish sauce (or soy sauce), a little minced garlic, and a splash of vegetable broth (or other broth). Gently mix to season. Finish with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil for a fragrant touch. 
Step 4
[Crisp Bean Sprout Salad] Wash the bean sprouts thoroughly. Blanch them in boiling water until crisp-tender. Rinse in cold water and drain well. Place in a bowl, season with soy sauce (or fish sauce), and gently toss with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil. Be careful not to mash the bean sprouts. 
Step 5
[Fresh Spinach Salad] Clean and trim the spinach. Blanch it in boiling water until bright green. Rinse in cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl, season lightly with soy sauce (or fish sauce), and gently toss with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil. Avoid overmixing or overcooking. 
Step 6
[Delicious Stir-fried Anchovies – Start] Heat 2 Tbsp cooking oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the anchovies and stir-fry until they become slightly crispy, being careful not to burn them. This step removes any fishy smell and enhances their nuttiness. Lower the heat slightly once the anchovies are toasted. 
Step 7
Add 3 Tbsp cooking wine (Mirin or similar) and rice syrup (or corn syrup) to the fried anchovies. Stir-fry until glossy. Ensure the anchovies don’t clump together. Finally, add the dried cranberries and shredded dates, stir briefly, turn off the heat, and toss with sesame oil and 1 Tbsp mayonnaise for a creamy, savory finish.
Step 8
[Nutritious Braised Beef – Part 1] In a pot, combine 300g beef, 1/2 cup cooking wine, 1/2 cup soy sauce, and 2 cups broth. Add aromatics like 1/2 apple, 1/2 green onion, 1/2 onion, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns. Simmer until the beef is tender. (Adding pork can enrich the broth). Remove the cooked beef from the pot. 
Step 9
Thinly slice the cooked beef against the grain. Return the sliced beef to the cooking broth. Add 1/2 cup rice syrup (or corn syrup) and simmer until the liquid reduces and coats the beef.
Step 10
Once the beef is suitably braised, add 50g whole garlic cloves and 70g Korean green chili peppers. Simmer for a few more minutes until the peppers are tender and the garlic is cooked. Turn off the heat to complete this delicious braised beef, a perfect side dish for rice.
Step 11
[Making Warm Pumpkin Porridge] Wash the pumpkin thoroughly. Remove the stem and seeds. You can microwave the whole pumpkin for about 3 minutes; this softens the skin, making it easier to peel. Once the skin and seeds are removed, cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces. 
Step 12
Pour 1L of water into a pot and add the pumpkin pieces to cook until very soft. Meanwhile, soak 1 cup of black beans for at least 30 minutes or pre-cook them. Cooking the pumpkin and black beans together increases the nutritional value.
Step 13
Once the pumpkin is completely cooked and soft, remove it from the water. Mash it finely using a blender or strain it through a sieve. (Be careful, it’s hot!). In the pumpkin cooking water, whisk in 1 cup of rice flour, ensuring there are no lumps. Pre-mixing the rice flour with a little water can help prevent lumps.
Step 14
Add the mashed pumpkin and the pre-cooked black beans to the rice flour mixture. Stir continuously over medium-low heat to prevent sticking to the bottom as the porridge thickens and the rice flour cooks.
Step 15
When the porridge reaches your desired consistency, season it with 2 Tbsp coarse sea salt and 1/2 cup sugar, adjusting to your taste. Stir well to combine the sweet and savory flavors. A pinch of salt is crucial to enhance the sweetness.
Step 16
Let the finished pumpkin porridge cool slightly before serving in a bowl. It can be enjoyed warm or chilled. Share this heartfelt, nourishing pumpkin porridge to bring comfort and warmth.
