Bibimbap (mixed rice)

Bibimbap is probably one of the most well-known and beloved Korean dishes to many people. This super-comfort food is essentially a bowl of mixed ingredients including, but not limited to, rice, namul (seasoned and sautéed vegetables), mushrooms, beef, soy sauce, gochujang (chili pepper paste), and a fried egg. The ingredients found in bibimbap vary by region, and the most famous versions of the dish are found in Jeonju, Tongyeong, and Jinju. Serves 3 – 4. Easy to double

INGREDIENTS​:
Meat and meat sauce

• 100g / 3.5 ounces beef mince (or other cuts)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar – I used brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp minced garlic

 
Vegetables and other

• 250g (0.6 pounds) mildly seasoned spinach
• 350g (0.8 pounds) mildly seasoned bean sprouts – (You don’t have to use them up if you think it’s too much)
• 100g (3.5 ounces) shiitake mushroom
• 120g (4.2 ounces) carrots (1 small)
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (1/4 tsp each will be used when cooking shiitake mushroom and carrots)
• 3 to 4 serving portions of steamed rice
• 3 or 4 eggs (depending on the serving portion)
• Some cooking oil to cook the meat, mushroom, carrots and eggs – rice bran oil is ideal
• Korean seasoned seaweed, shredded (long thin cut)

 
Bibimbap sauce

• 2 Tbsp gochujang (chili paste)
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp roasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp vinegar (white or apple)
• 1 tsp minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix the beef mince with the meat sauce ingredients listed above. Marinate the meat for about 30 mins while you are working on other ingredients to enhance the flavour. Add some cooking oil into a wok and cook the meat on medium high to high heat for about 3 to 5 mins to cook thoroughly.
2.  Mix the Bibimbap sauce ingredients in a bowl.
3.  To prepare the spinach, trim the roots (if any) and wash the spinach in cold water thoroughly. Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1tsp of salt.  Once the water starts to boil, plunge the spinach into the pot and leave it for 30 seconds. Drain the boiled water away and run cold water on the spinach for 1-2 minutes. Squeeze the spinach to remove excess water. Cut the leaves into 2-3 pieces with a knife. (If you are using baby spinach, you can skip this step.)
4. To prepare the bean sprouts, rinse in cold water and discard any bad beans. Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1tsp of salt.  Once the water starts to boil, plunge the sprouts into the pot and leave it for 1-2 minutes. Drain the boiled water away and run cold water on the sprouts for 1-2 minutes. Squeeze the sprouts to remove excess water.
5. Rinse, peel and julienne the carrots. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook on medium high to high heat for 2 to 3 mins.
6. Clean/rinse the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them. Add some cooking oil and 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook them on medium high to high heat until they are cooked - takes 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Make fried eggs. (While sunny side up is common, you can make them to your preference.)
8. Put the rice into a bowl and add the meat, assorted vegetables, seasoned seaweed, Bibimbap sauce and the egg on top of the rice.
9. Mix the ingredients well in the bowl and enjoy!

 
NOTE

• Other vegetable options – Daikon radish salad, Korean cucumber side dish, gosari and bellflower root
• Gosari is the immature frond (known as fiddlehead) of a bracken (aka fernbrake) which grows in the Korean hills and mountains. Some recipes substitute watercress, kale or even zucchini.
• The proper name for bellflower root is Doraji, native to East Asia - China, Korea, Japan and East Siberia. It should be easy to find dried in the Asian grocery store, or substitute ginseng if available (and affordable!).
• 1 Tbsp = 15 ml

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