Made with finely floor rice and pine nuts, jatjuk (잣죽) is a nutritious porridge that’s creamy, delicately nutty, and comforting!

Jatjuk (잣죽) is a nutritious porridge I like having for breakfast, particularly on cool mornings. It’s creamy, delicately nutty, and comforting! Jatjuk can be nice in case you (or a beloved one) aren’t feeling nicely as a result of it’s light on the abdomen however nonetheless offers a superb enhance of vitality.

Jatjuk has lengthy been a delicacy in Korea for its refined style and excessive dietary worth, coming from pine nuts wealthy in wholesome fat, protein, antioxidants, and minerals. Pine nuts are a prized ingredient in Korea. They’re utilized in quite a lot of dishes, each as a garnish (e.g., Yaksik, White kimchi, Sikhye) and an ingredient to reinforce taste and diet (e.g., Pine nut dressing, Kongguksu).

Table of Contents

make pine nut porridge

Jatjuk is ready by simmering finely floor rice and pine nuts. Because it cooks, the rice starch and pine nut fats emulsify, giving the porridge its signature buttery and creamy texture. Regardless of its easy preparation, many wrestle with attaining the precise consistency, typically ending up with a watery porridge.

This may occur as a result of pine nuts comprise amylase enzymes which break down rice starch. You’ll be able to account for this by utilizing correct cooking strategies.

Preparation

Pine nuts: Rinse the pine nuts below chilly water. Toast them in a dry pan over medium low warmth, shaking the pan typically, for 3 to 4 minutes for a light-weight toasting. Don’t brown them. You’ll be able to skip this course of in case you like.

I exploit equal elements of rice and pine nuts (1:1 ratio) for a wealthy nutty taste. You’ll be able to cut back the quantity of pine nuts in case you like, however attempt to use not less than half the rice quantity for the flavour and buttery creaminess. Don’t cut back the water quantity even in case you’re utilizing fewer pine nuts.

Rice-to-water ratio: The viscosity and consistency of rice porridges largely will depend on the rice-to-water ratio. It normally is 1:6 for different rice porridges, equivalent to dakjuk or jeonbokjuk, relying on the specified consistency. Pine nut porridge wants considerably much less water (1:3 ratio), due to the amylase enzymes in pine nuts.

Rinse the rice, soak for an hour or longer, and drain. In a blender, mix the soaked rice and pine nuts with 2 cups of water till it turns like milky liquid, about 30 seconds. It may be longer, relying on the blender. Use the remaining water to swish out the remaining sediments within the blender.

Cooking

Over medium warmth, stir gently however steadily alongside the underside of the pot. It’s going to get thicken and clump in a couple of minutes after which flip easy and skinny because it simmers longer.

The finely pureed rice doesn’t take a lot time to cook dinner. Nevertheless, it’s essential to take the time and simmer the porridge lengthy sufficient (over 20 minutes for this recipe) to create a easy texture and denature the enzymes. In any other case, it might probably get thinner and watery because it sits after being cooked.

Storing and reheating

Jatjuk may be saved within the fridge for 4 to five days. It additionally freezes nicely for an extended storage. You’ll be able to reheat it on the stovetop or within the microwave. Reheat it till it’s sizzling, however don’t let it boil. It will probably make the porridge runny.

Extra porridge recipes

Dakjuk (Rooster porridge)
Jeonbokjuk (Abalone porridge)
Hobak juk (pumpkin porridge)
Patjuk (candy purple bean porridge)
Turkey porridge (with Thanksgiving leftovers)

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