Bibimbap

Colourful and Tasty. Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish, mixed with various vegetables, meat, and a fried egg. It is typically served in a hot stone bowl, which helps to crisp the rice and melt the egg. The dish is often seasoned with gochujang, a spicy red pepper paste.

Ingredients

For the rice:

• 1 cup rice
• Salt

For the vegetables:

• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

For the protein:

• 1 cup cooked beef, chicken, or tofu, sliced

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon gochujang (chili paste)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste

For serving:

• Sesame seeds
• A fried egg (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the rice: Rinse the rice until water runs clear. In a pot, combine 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Let it sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
2. Prepare the vegetables: Steam or stir-fry the spinach, carrot, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and green onions in a wok until tender-crisp.
3. Season the protein: Toss the cooked protein with soy sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Assemble the bibimbap: In the Korean stone pot, place a portion of cooked rice. Top with the prepared vegetables, protein, and a fried egg (if desired).
5. Make the sauce: Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, gochujang, garlic paste, and ginger paste in a small bowl.
6. Serve: Pour the sauce over the bibimbap and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Mix everything together before enjoying.

Tip: For a vegan option, use tofu or tempeh as the protein and omit the fried egg. Adjust the amount of gochujang to suit your spice preference.