Saeujuk - Korean Shrimp Porridge

Saeujuk - Korean Shrimp Porridge Recipe

Serves: 4 people or 2 bears

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Bear Hands (author): I’m a huge fan of all porridge. Rice based porridges make great meal replacers whether you’re looking for something quick and satisfying or need to soothe your stomach with an easily digestible meal, rice porridges are so simple to make and almost always contain easily accessible ingredients that many people already have on hand!

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Hubby Bear (eater): Unlike Bear Hands, I’m not a fan of shrimp or porridge. But this dish is presented so beautifully that it feels worlds away from the dreary “please sir, can I have some more” kind of gruel that Oliver Twist was begging for. What really wins me over is the generous pile of green onions in the center — they add brightness, flavor, and texture that make the whole bowl come alive.

This dish is simple, filling, and surprisingly elegant when plated with a little care. It’s both nutritious and easy to digest, making it the perfect comfort food on a cold night. Even better, it’s a brilliant way to use up leftover rice. Since we eat rice often and always keep pre‑deveined shrimp in the freezer, this porridge can be whipped up in no time. The contrast of tender shrimp, fresh green onion, and creamy rice elevates it far beyond your average bowl of porridge.

🍚 Day old rice vs. fresh rice

Yes, day‑old rice is preferred here. What is normally an unpleasant texture works in this recipe because the grains have dried, and are firmer and less sticky. Instead of clumping together, they break down evenly into the broth, creating a silky porridge base.

But if you don’t have day‑old rice, fresh rice can be made workable. Cook it as usual, then spread it out on a baking sheet so the steam escapes and the grains dry out. After about 30 to 60 minutes, you’ll have rice that behaves closer to the “day‑old” version.

💡 Safety tip: Don’t put hot rice straight into the fridge to cool it faster — it can warm up your fridge and encourage the growth of Bacillus cereus, the common food poisoning bacteria linked to rice.

Detailed recipe:

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Saeujuk - Korean Shrimp Porridge

Yield: 2-4

Author: Bear Hands

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined. Set aside about 1/3 of the shrimp and give them a rough chop, leave the rest whole.
• 1.5 cups of cooked, day old, rice. (*see note about using fresh rice)
• 1 medium or large onion, peeled and rough chopped into 1/2"–1" pieces.
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and rough chopped into 1/2"–1" pieces.
• 1 cup of sweet corn kernels. Frozen or fresh are both fine.
• 1 teaspoon of finely minced garlic.
• 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper. More if you like peppery foods.
• 10 cups of vegetable broth or water. You may need more of either to adjust the consistency of your porridge.
• 1 fish stock cube.

Instructions

Prep Ingredients

1. Process the ingredients as listed above.
2. Shrimp Note:
3. If using frozen shrimp: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or submerge in cold water for 15–20 minutes before cooking.
4. If using fresh, unprocessed shrimp: Peel and devein thoroughly before use.

Cook

1. Heat up about a teaspoon of cooking oil in large pot. Stir fry the garlic, onions and rice together until the onions are starting to turn translucent. (3–5 minutes)
2. Add the chopped and whole shrimp to the pot and continue stirring till shrimps begin turning pink. (2–3 minutes)
3. Add the veggie stock or water, carrots, corn and fish stock cube. Stir ingredients thoroughly together and cook on medium high heat till bubbling and then cook for about 15-20 minutes with the lid cracked so it doesn’t boil over. You’ll likely need to keep stirring quite regularly in order to prevent the porridge from sticking/forming a crust on the bottom.
4. Reduce heat to medium low and keep cooking and stirring for another 10-15 minutes or until your desired consistency is achieved. If it ends up too thick you can adjust the consistency with some more broth or water.
5. Season with your favorite soy sauce to taste.

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Easy-follow Recipe:

Step 1: 🔪 Prep Ingredients

Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp – peeled & deveined (⅓ chopped, rest whole)

Tasks:
- If frozen: thaw overnight in fridge or in cold water for 15–20 minutes.
- If fresh: peel and devein.
- Roughly chop ⅓ of shrimp, leave rest whole.

Step 2: 🧄 Stir-Fry Base

Ingredients:
1 tsp cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1½ cups rice, day-old

Tasks:
- Heat oil in large pot.
- Add garlic, onion, and rice.
- Stir-fry 3–5 minutes until onions turn translucent.

Step 3: 🦐 Add Shrimp

Ingredients:
Chopped shrimp (from above)
Whole shrimp (from above)

Tasks:
- Add shrimp to pot.
- Stir 2–3 minutes until shrimp turn pink and opaque.

Step 4: 🥕 Build Broth

Ingredients:
10 cups broth or water
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 cup corn kernels
1 fish stock cube
½ tsp white pepper

Tasks:
- Add broth, carrot, corn, stock cube, and pepper.
- Stir thoroughly.
- Cook 15–20 minutes on medium-high with lid cracked.
- Stir regularly to prevent sticking.

Step 5: 🍲 Simmer & Season

Ingredients:
Soy sauce (to taste, optional)
Optional garnishes: beaten egg, chopped green onion, sesame oil/seeds, green onion oil, toasted seaweed, chili pepper

Tasks:
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Simmer 10–15 minutes until desired consistency.
- Adjust thickness with extra broth or water if needed.
- Season with soy sauce.
- Garnish and serve hot.