BiBim-Bap

BiBim-Bop 

Korean Mixed veggie Rice Bowl 

serves 2-4

Bibimbop is a large bowl of rice topped with an assortment of individually prepared vegetables and meat, usually served with a fried egg on top and gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) sauce. This is a very popular comfort food in Korea and there are many different kinds of bibimbap.  Basically use whatever veggies and leftover banchan (Korean side dishes) you have at home to make your own rendition. The meat and egg can be omitted to make it vegetarian or vegan friendly. "Bibim" means mixed and "bop" is cooked rice so the name literally means mixed rice. So mixing all the ingredients well before eating makes a harmonious dish full of flavor from the variety of vegetables and sauce. 

        Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked short grain white or brown rice
• 2 medium julienned carrot
• 2 cups zucchini squash cut into 1/4" matchstick
• half a yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch spinach or kale
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• 2 cups mushrooms sliced (shiitake works best but other mushrooms are okay)
• 1 small cucumber
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• sesame oil (as desired)
• roasted sesame seeds
• 1tsp cooking oil per sauteed veggies
• Optional 2-4 fried eggs (with runny yolk-one for each serving) 
• Optional toppings: lettuce, kimchi, pickled radish, marinated beef (ingredients and directions below), fried tofu or any other protein of choice

Directions

For MEAT 

• Cut 1/2 lb. of beef into thin strips or grounded beef works as well. Mix in 1.5 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tsp of sugar, 2 tsp of sesame oil, 2 tsp of rice wine or Mirin (cooking wine), 1 tbsp of chopped scallion, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp sesame seeds and a pinch of pepper. Marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight. Sauté in a skillet for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat. 
• If using tofu as an alternative or in addition to meat. Cut tofu into cubes and fry on heated pan with oil, season with salt and pepper. Fry until browned evenly on all sides.

For Veggies 

Bean sprouts: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add bean sprouts and briefly blanch, about 1 minute, flipping over once 30 seconds in. Drain quickly and rinse in cold water to stop them from cooking further. Squeeze liquid out by hand and place in a bowl, toss with1 tsp of sesame oil, 1/2 tsp of sesame seeds, and 1/2 tsp of salt, sliced green onion and pinch of pepper then gently mix by hand.

Spinach or Kale: boil water with a dash of salt to blanch your spinach and Kake only until wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain quickly and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze water out. Toss with 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds and salt.

                               

                               

                               

 

Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise. Toss with1/2 teaspoon salt let it sit 10 minutes. squeeze juice out and marinate with 2 teaspoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar. 

Mushrooms, onions, zucchini squash, and carrots: Sauté each vegetable in a lightly oiled skillet for 1 - 2 minutes over medium-high heat, sprinkling with salt and pepper. 

                        

Sauce 

1. Spicy Gochujang Sauce: Combine and mix all ingredients 4 tbsp gochujang, 2 tsp sugar - adjust to taste, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp roasted sesame seed  (options: 2 tbsp water, 2 tsp vinegar)
2.  Soy sauce: 4 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp roasted sesame seed, 1 tsp sesame oil

Assembling 

1. Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetable and beef over the rice. Drizzle sauce and top with a fried egg.