Korean Pollock Roe Egg Porridge
Quick answer
Rice is simmered in anchovy stock until the grains soften and the porridge thickens, then finished with pollock roe and beaten egg.
What makes this special
- Natural salinity of pollock roe seasons this porridge, needing only a small splash of soy.
- Pollock roe is naturally salty, so soup soy sauce is added only at the end in small amounts
- Eggs stirred slowly over the lowest heat form soft, silky curds rather than rough clumps
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Split 80 g pollock roe sacs and scrape out only the roe.
- 2 Put 1.5 cups cooked rice and 700 ml anchovy stock in a pot over medium heat.
- 3 Simmer for about 7 minutes, until the grains spread apart and the stock looks lightly thickened.
Rice is simmered in anchovy stock until the grains soften and the porridge thickens, then finished with pollock roe and beaten egg. The roe dissolves into the broth and spreads its briny, savory depth throughout the bowl, while the egg forms soft curds that add body to the texture. Because pollock roe already carries significant salt, soup soy sauce is added only in small amounts at the very end to fine-tune the seasoning rather than build the base flavor. Stirring the egg in gently over low heat produces delicate, smooth curds. Rushing the egg over high heat causes it to seize into rough clumps that interrupt the silky consistency of the porridge. A drizzle of sesame oil, a scattering of dried seaweed flakes, and sliced green onion finish the bowl with a nutty fragrance and a clean finish. This is a natural choice for days when appetite is low or the stomach feels unsettled, and the roe's depth of flavor means a small number of ingredients produces a genuinely satisfying result.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Split 80 g pollock roe sacs and scrape out only the roe.
Beat 2 eggs until smooth, and thinly slice 25 g scallion so the garnish is ready before the hot porridge reaches the finishing stage.
- 2Control
Put 1.5 cups cooked rice and 700 ml anchovy stock in a pot over medium heat.
Once it starts bubbling, stir often with a spatula, scraping the bottom so the rice loosens without sticking.
- 3Control
Simmer for about 7 minutes, until the grains spread apart and the stock looks lightly thickened.
If the porridge tightens too quickly, lower the heat slightly so the liquid does not reduce before the rice softens.
- 4Control
Reduce the heat to low, add the scraped pollock roe, and stir slowly for 3 minutes.
Break up any concentrated clumps as you stir, stopping when the roe spreads evenly and gives the porridge a pale pink tint.
- 5Control
Keep the porridge at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, and pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream.
Stir slowly for 1 minute without beating hard, so soft curds form instead of rough pieces.
- 6Finish
Taste first, then add the 1 teaspoon soup soy sauce gradually instead of all at once, because the roe is already salty.
Turn off the heat, finish with 1 teaspoon sesame oil, scallion, and 2 tablespoons seaweed flakes, then serve hot.
After the steps
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