Beef and vegetable porridge

Today’s recipe is a delicious, colorful, savory one-bowl meal called Soegogi-yachaejuk, a nutritious rice porridge made with cuts of lean beef and tons of vegetables. It makes for a warm, hearty meal any time of the year. And it’s easy on the stomach so good for people who are recuperating. It’s also a low carb food, great if you’re on a diet, and on top of all that, it’s economical: you can make four huge bowls of porridge with only 1 cup of rice.

But the main reason to make this is because it’s delicious. Make it for your friends and family, and I guarantee they will love it, or make a big batch for yourself, have a bowl now, and save the rest for later.

I have a few emotional memories of this recipe, and I’ve been sharing it privately with some of my readers over the years. Now I finally made a video for it, and I hope it serves you and your family well over the years, in good times and bad, just as it’s served mine.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 cup white short grain rice, washed, soaked in cold water at least 30 minutes
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• ½ pound of lean beef, ground
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅓ cup chopped onion
• ⅓ cup chopped carrot
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1½ cup broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soup soy sauce, or salt, to taste)
• 4 sheets of gim (dried seaweed paper), toasted and crushed in a plastic bag (optional)
• 4 teaspoons toasted toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Heat up a heavy pot or sauce pan and add 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil and the beef. Cook over medium high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 2 to 3 minutes until the beef is no longer pink.
2. Add the garlic and onion, stirring for a few minutes until the onion turns a little translucent.
3. Strain the rice and add to the pot. Stir for about 3 to 4 minutes until the rice looks a little translucent and sticky.
4. Add all the chopped colorful vegetables and keep stirring for a minute
5. Add 7 cups of water and stir well with the wooden spoon and cover. Cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat. If it boils over, half cover the pot with the lid and keep cooking.
6. Uncover, stir the porridge a few times, and turn down the heat to low. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
7. Add the fish sauce and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Serve hot. Right before serving, add the crushed seaweed and sesame seeds.

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