Bibimbap – A Korean Bowl Full of Flavors

Welcome to our culinary journey! Bibimbap is a traditional Korean dish that translates to "mixed rice." It consists of a bowl of warm rice topped with various vegetables, marinated meat (often beef), a raw or fried egg, and Gochujang (Korean chili paste). Before eating, the dish is thoroughly mixed together, combining all the flavors and textures.

Ingredients:

For the rice:

▫️ 400 grams of short-grain white rice
▫️ 600 ml of water

For the vegetables and toppings:

▫️ 200 grams of spinach
▫️ 200 grams of bean sprouts
▫️ 1 medium carrot (about 100 grams), julienned
▫️ 1 small zucchini (about 100 grams), julienned
▫️ 150 grams of shiitake mushrooms, sliced
▫️ 2 eggs
▫️ 2 cloves of garlic, minced
▫️ 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
▫️ 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
▫️ Salt, to taste
▫️ Cooking oil, as needed
▫️ Sesame seeds, for garnish

For the meat (optional):

▫️ 200 grams of ground beef or sliced beef
▫️ 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
▫️ 1 teaspoon of sugar
▫️ 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
▫️ 1 clove of garlic, minced

For the Bibimbap sauce:

▫️ 4 tablespoons of gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
▫️ 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
▫️ 1 tablespoon of sugar
▫️ 1 tablespoon of water
▫️ 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
▫️ 2 teaspoons of vinegar
▫️ 1 teaspoon of minced garlic

Instructions:

Cook the rice:

• Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine the rice and water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. If using a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Let it sit for another 10 minutes off the heat before fluffing with a fork.

Prepare the vegetables:

• Blanch the spinach in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then immediately transfer it to ice water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Mix with a pinch of salt, half the minced garlic, and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
• Blanch the bean sprouts for about 1-2 minutes, then rinse with cold water and drain. Season with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
• Sauté the julienned carrot and zucchini separately in a little cooking oil over medium-high heat until tender. Season each with a pinch of salt.
• Sauté the sliced shiitake mushrooms in a bit of cooking oil until tender. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and cook until the liquid is absorbed.

Prepare the meat (if using):

• In a bowl, mix the beef with soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Sauté the seasoned beef in a pan over medium-high heat until cooked through.

Prepare the Bibimbap sauce:

• In a small bowl, mix the gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, water, sesame seeds, vinegar, and minced garlic until well combined.

Fry the eggs:

• Fry the eggs sunny-side up in a pan with a little oil until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

Assemble the Bibimbap:

• Divide the cooked rice into individual bowls. Arrange the prepared vegetables and meat (if using) on top of the rice, each in its own section. Place a fried egg on top of each bowl. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Serve the Bibimbap with the Bibimbap sauce on the side. To eat, mix everything together in the bowl, adding sauce to taste.

Enjoy your homemade Bibimbap!  😍