Bibimbap

Bibimbap is a Korean lunch-in-a-bowl is a simple salad of rice, mixed vegetables, rice, beef, and egg, with sesame oil and a hint of chili paste for seasoning.

It is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce, or doenjang, a salty soybean paste. A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The hot dish is stirred together thoroughly just before eating.

Vegetables commonly used in bibimbap include julienned cucumber, zucchini (courgette), mu (daikon), mushrooms, doraji (bellflower root), and gim, as well as spinach, soybean sprouts, and gosari (bracken fern stems). Dubu (tofu), either plain or sautéed, or a leaf of lettuce may be added, or chicken or seafood may be substituted for beef. For visual appeal, the vegetables are often placed so adjacent colors complement each other. In the South Korean version, sesame oil, red pepper paste, and sesame seeds are added.

How to Make Bibimbap

Ingredients
3 cups short grain rice
8 ounces beef, rib eye or sirloin (substitute shiitake mushrooms for a vegetarian dish)
2 cups boiled gosari*, 고사리 (fernbrake)
16 ounces soybean sprouts, 콩나물 (or mung bean sprouts, 숙주)
1 bunch spinach
2 kirby (pickling) cucumbers (or 1 Korean cucumber)
2 small zucchinis
2 medium carrots
5 teaspoons minced garlic
2 or 3 scallions, chopped
soy sauce
sesame oil
roasted sesame seeds
salt and pepper
vegetable or canola oil
4 eggs

Bibimbap sauce
4 tablespoons of Korean red chili pepper paste (gochujang, 고추장)
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
3 tablespoons of water

Instructions

1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or following package directions, using a little less water than called for. The rice for bibimbap should be a little drier than usual for best results.
2. Beef: Cut into thin 2-inch long strips. Mix in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of rice wine, 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 sesame seeds and a pinch of pepper. Marinate for 20 minutes. Sauté in a skillet for 2 - 3 minutes over high heat.
3. Gosari (Fern brake): Cut into 3-inch lengths. Season with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds, and a pinch of pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes. Sauté in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of vegetable/canola oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Soy bean sprouts: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt. Add the bean sprouts and boil for 3 minutes. Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain again. Toss with 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spinach: Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water only until wilted, 30 - 40 seconds. Drain quickly and shock in cold water. Squeeze out water. Cut into 3-inch lengths. Toss with 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise. Generously sprinkle salt over sliced cucumbers and set aside for 10 - 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid. Toss with 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds.
7. Zucchinis: Cut the zucchinis in half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise. Generously sprinkle salt over sliced zucchinis and set aside for 10 - 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid from salted zucchini by hand. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds. Sauté in a lightly oiled skillet for 1 - 2 minutes over medium high heat.
8. Carrots: Julienne the carrots into match sticks. Sauté in a lightly oiled skillet for 1 - 2 minutes over medium high heat, sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
9. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
10. Assemble: Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. (If using a stone bowl, heat it over medium heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil and rice and cook the rice for several minutes until the rice sizzles.) Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetable and beef over the rice. Drizzle a little sesame oil over. Top with an egg fried sunny-side up and serve with the red pepper paste sauce.