Hobakjuk (Pumpkin Porridge)

Prepare the kabocha squash. Carefully cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and peel the tough outer skin. Cut the squash flesh into small cubes.

Place the cubed squash in a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is very soft and easily pierced with a fork.

Use an immersion blender to blend the squash and its cooking water directly in the pot until you have a smooth puree. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer it to a regular blender.

In a separate small bowl, make a slurry by whisking the sweet rice flour with 1 cup of cold water until there are no lumps.

Return the pumpkin puree to the stove over medium-low heat. Slowly and steadily pour the sweet rice flour slurry into the pot, whisking constantly as you pour to prevent any lumps from forming.

Continue to cook the porridge, stirring frequently, for about 10-15 minutes. The porridge will thicken and become velvety as the rice flour cooks.

Once the porridge has reached your desired consistency and the raw taste of the flour is gone, it's time to season it.

Stir in sugar or honey to your desired level of sweetness. Start with a couple of tablespoons and add more as needed. Crucially, add a pinch of salt to bring out the squash's natural sweetness.

For a traditional touch, you can make small rice cake balls (saeal-sim) by mixing more sweet rice flour with hot water to form a dough, rolling it into balls, and boiling them until they float. Add them to the porridge at the end.

Serve the hobakjuk warm, garnished with sweet red beans or the prepared rice cake balls.