Bibimbap (Korean Rice with Meat & Mixed Vegetables) 🌶 🇰🇷

For rice lovers, the Korean Bibimbap is a gem.  The warm bowl of rice comes with a colourful arrangement of meat and vegetables flavoured by a mildly spicy Bibimbap sauce, topped with a fried egg or two sunny side up.  It is not difficult to make in the home kitchen using leftovers in the fridge, if you like. In this recipe, I use beef mince, spinach, bean sprouts, carrots and mushrooms.  Like many Korean recipes, garlic, sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds feature prominently as seasoning ingredients.  In restaurants, bibimbap is often served in a sizzling hot stone/clay/ceramic bowl.  If you have one of these that can be used on the (gas) stove top, a layer of crispy rice at the bottom of the bowl can be achieved.  Otherwise, serving Bibimbap in an ordinary bowl is fine.  Mix everything up before digging in for a nutritiously balanced and satisfying meal.

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 200g / 7oz beef mince
• 1 bunch spinach (about 250g)
• 200g / 70z bean sprouts
• sea salt
• sesame oil
• cooking oil
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 200g / 7oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion, for garnishing

For marinating the beef:

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

Bibimbap sauce:

• 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

METHOD

1. Cook rice according to instructions here.
2. Place sesame seeds in a medium frying pan.  Toast over low heat for 1-2 minutes until the seeds are fragrant and golden, swirling them in the pan with a spoon to avoid burning.  Remove toasted seeds immediately to a plate to cool.
3. In a bowl, marinate beef mince with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and garlic for 30 minutes or so while you get on to the other steps.
4. Make the Bibimbap sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
5. Spinach: Trim off roots and wash thoroughly to remove any grits. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil with ½ teaspoon salt.  Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds or until just wilted.  Drain in a colander and rinse under the cold tap for 1 minute to cool.  Squeeze out any excess water with your hands.  Roughly chopped the cooked spinach.  In a bowl, mix it with 2 teaspoons sesame oil and 2 teaspoons sesame seeds with your hands.
6. Bean sprouts:  Rinse in cold water.  Bring a saucepan of water to a boil with ½ teaspoon salt.  Blanch the bean spouts for 1 minute until slightly softened.  Drain in a colander and rinse under the cold tap for 1 minute to cool.  Squeeze out any excess water with your hands.  In a bowl, mix it with 2 teaspoons sesame oil and 2 teaspoons sesame seeds with your hands.
7. Carrots: In a medium frying pan or a wok, stir fry carrots in 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until softened slightly but still crunchy.  Remove and set aside.
8. Mushrooms: In the same pan, stir fry mushrooms with 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat until just softened, about 1 minute.  Remove and set aside. 
9. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the same pan over medium high heat.  Add the beef and spread them out with a spatula.  Let the beef sizzle undisturbed for 30 seconds to caramelise before tossing them about to cook through.  Remove to a bowl. 
10. Clean the pan.  Fry the eggs in 1-2 teaspoons oil until the whites have set and the yolks are still a little runny, or to your liking. 

To assemble:

Place 2-3 cups of cooked rice into a 18cm /7" bowl.  Arrange the meat and vegetables on top of the rice.  Pour in the Bibimbap sauce.  Top with the fried eggs.  Garnish with spring onions and the remaining sesame seeds.  Mix well with a spoon just before eating.  

*If you are using a suitable stone/clay/ceramic bowl, place it in a preheated 180°C/350°F for 10 minutes.  Take it out carefully with oven gloves.  Brush 1 tablespoon of sesame oil all over the inside of the bowl, then assemble your Bibimbap ingredients as above.  Transfer the hot bowl onto the gas stove and cook it for 5 minutes over low heat.  When you hear the rice crackling in the bottom of the bowl, remove from heat and serve.