Bibimbap

I've posted about bibimbap before, a couple years ago. Back then I was still trying to make it in a fiery hot stone bowl (which I didn't have, so I used my Le Creuset saucier), and just couldn't ever get it quite right. Since then, I've taken to making the non-stone bowl version, which has much better results.

Once again, I apologize for the lack of pictures, but the kids snatched these up and started gobbling them down the second I slid the lightly fried egg on top, and -- in typical mom fashion -- they got all the good stuff and I got the dregs, so my bowl wasn't pretty enough to warrant photographing. And just maybe I was as eager to eat as they were, and didn't want to waste timing getting the camera. Just saying.

Tonight's bibimbap used jasmine rice as the base, topped with a rainbow array of lightly sauteed carrots, spinach, zucchini, bean sprouts, mushrooms, bean sprouts and ground chicken. The crowning glory was a lightly fried egg with runny yolk.

This dinner rocked! Meg begs me to make bibimbap all the time. Whenever I ask for their input in planning a weekly menu, it's the first thing she shouts out, every time without fail. I usually refuse, simply because there's a lot of prep work with this, sauteeing the meat and each vegetable individually, not to mention the time cutting everything into matchsticks. But whenever I do make it for her, I always wonder why I don't do it more often. It's worth the prep work a zillion times over. As Meg said this evening, who'd have thought that meat and veggies with a fried egg would taste so good? But there's something so intensely satisfying about bibimbap, and it never lets me down. If you've never had it before, give it a try!

Bibimbap

freshly cooked jasmine rice
1 lb ground chicken or pork
1/2 tsp sesame oil (a little goes a long way)
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 medium carrots, cut into 2" matchsticks
1 medium zucchini, cut into 2" matchsticks
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, cut into matchsticks (do the best you can...totally chopped is fine)
1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 bunch spinach, stems removed
eggs, 1 per serving

Start rice cooking. Meanwhile, brown ground meat over medium-high heat. When fully cooked, drain grease and discard, then add sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar. Stir and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove chicken to a serving plate, leaving room for the rest of the toppings as you cook them.

Sautee carrots over medium-high heat until crisp tender; remove to serving plate.

Sautee zucchini over medium-high heat until it begins to brown and soften; remove to serving plate.

Sautee mushrooms over medium-high heat for a few minutes. You don't want them totally soft, but still with a bite to them. Remove to serving plate.

Sautee bean sprouts until crisp tender; remove to serving plate.

Sautee spinach until wilted but still bright green; remove to serving plate.

Scoop rice into individual wide, shallow bowls. Arrange toppings attractively on top of rice. You can arrange them in wedge shapes around the bowl, or in stripes. Alternatively, let each person put the toppings of their choice on their own serving.

Meanwhile, wipe out skillet with a paper towl, return to heat, grease pan with a little oil, and crack eggs into it. Fry just until whites are set, flipping once. You want the yolks runny. As soon as eggs are done, put one egg in the center of each bowl. Add Korean red chili paste, if desired. Serve immediately.

Bibimbap

Bibimbap is still a work in progress for me. I'm always afraid that I'll burn the rice on the edges, but then I end up taking it off the heat before it develops a good crust. Grrrrr. You'd think I'd learn by now.



We discovered Bibimbap at our favorite Korean BBQ place in Japan, and we were instantly hooked. I don't have the proper stone bowl for making it at home, so I use a Le Creuset saucier instead. I think I may have Brad suck it up and pay the money for a real stone bowl when he's in Japan next month, but we'll see. The Le Creuset works for now.

This should have a raw egg on top, which is then stirred and tossed with the rice mixture, cooking it sort of like fried rice, but there's no real way to do that and keep it vegan, so we left out the egg. I also substituted diced tofu for the typical ground meat. It was still really good, and incredibly filling. This is not an authentic recipe, just my own attempt to make it as best I can, but I think it's a pretty good approximation. ; )

Bibimbap

2 Tbsp sesame oil
3-4 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup extra-firm tofu, finely diced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp grated ginger
2-inch section zucchini, julienned
2-inch section carrot, julienned
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup spinach, cooked and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, finely diced
2 Tbsp hot chili sauce

Combine tofu, soy sauce, sugar and ginger. Toss gently to coat. Set aside.

Add the sesame oil to a stone bowl, and heat over high heat until smoking, tilting to coat the inside. Add rice, pressing it against the sides and bottom of the bowl. Arrange tofu mixture, zucchini, carrot, bean sprouts, spinach and mushrooms over the rice. Pour the hot sauce in the middle.

Continue heating bowl, if necessary, until rice is crispy and brown on the bottom and edges. Use a spoon to combine the mixture thoroughly, being sure to get the crispy bits off the bottom and edges. Serve immediately.