Bibimbap is one of my favourite dishes because I love eating vegetables. It's also very healthy. I always think that two-thirds of your plate should be covered with veggies. The variety of vegetables doesn't matter too much – use whatever you have. Chopped lettuce leaves or cucumber add a nice crunch, too. The cooking of this dish goes very quickly, so be sure you have all the ingredients before you start. (It might seem silly to cook the vegetables separately, but it makes a big difference in the finished dish.) I've simplified this version slightly by making one seasoning mix for all the vegetables. Traditionally, each vegetable would be seasoned individually. It does better keep the integrity of the flavours, but it is tedious. I've compromised by cooking each one separately, but using the same seasoning. I also make one giant one to share – as that's easier too.
Recipe extracted from Korean Food Made Simple: Easy and Delicious Korean Recipes to Prepare at Home by Judy Joo (Jacqui Small, £22). Photography by Jean Cazals
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Beef bibimbap
- 115g of beef, very thinly sliced, preferably bulgogi meat or rib eye
- 875g of rice, steamed
- 100g of beansprouts, tails and soft pieces removed, rinsed and dried
- 55g of shiitake mushrooms, destemmed and cut into 5mm slices
- 1/2 courgette, thinly sliced on an angle
- 85g of mangetout
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 180g of baby spinach
- 115g of kimchi, drained and chopped
- 1 tbsp of mirin
- 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
- vegetable oil, for frying
Seasoning
- 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
- 3 tbsp of soy sauce
- 2 tbsp of mirin
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, crushed
Gochujang sauce
- 3 tbsp of gochujang
- 2 1/2 tbsp of mirin
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp spring onions, finely chopped on an angle
To serve
- 3 eggs, large
- black sesame seeds
SAVE RECIPE
Method
1
Place a large heavy-based frying pan (preferably cast iron) over a medium heat. Add a tablespoon of sesame oil and spread the cooked rice over the bass of the frying pan in a loose layer. Cook, undisturbed, for 8–10 minutes (until the bottom of the rice develops a golden crust) while you prepare the toppings
2
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Mix together the mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons of the sauce with the beef and sugar and set aside. Set the remaining seasoning sauce by the hob
3
As each vegetable topping is finished, arrange it on a section of the rice in the pan so the toppings resemble the spokes of a bicycle wheel. In a medium non-stick frying pan, heat half a teaspoon of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat. Add the beansprouts and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 30 seconds. Arrange the beansprouts on a section of the rice
4
Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the frying pan, add the beef and cook for 1–2 minutes until cooked through. Arrange the beef on the rice
5
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan, add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of the dressing and cook for 1 minute until tender. Arrange the mushrooms on the rice
6
Heat half a teaspoon of oil in the frying pan, add the courgette and 2 teaspoons of the sauce and cook for 1 minute until just tender. Arrange the courgette on the rice
7
Heat half a teaspoon of oil in the frying pan, add the mangetout and 2 teaspoons of the sauce and cook for 45 seconds until crisp-tender. Arrange the mangetout on the rice
8
Heat half a teaspoon of oil in the frying pan, add the carrot and 1 teaspoon of the sauce and cook for 30 seconds until crisp-tender. Arrange the carrot on the rice
9
Finally, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the pan, add the spinach and 1 tablespoon of the sauce and cook for 30 seconds until just wilted. Arrange the spinach on the rice
10
Deglaze the pan with mirin, scraping up any browned bits from the base. Spoon the juices from the pan over the beef on the rice
11
Meanwhile, place a separate frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the eggs in a little oil until the edges begin to crisp
12
For the gochujang sauce, simply stir together all the ingredients in a small bowl or serving dish
13
Remove the rice from the heat and arrange the kimchi over the remaining section of rice. Spoon the gochujang sauce on the centre of the rice or serve on the side, if you like. Arrange the fried eggs over the dish and sprinkle the bibimbap with black sesame seeds and radish sprouts, if liked.
14
To serve, bring the pan to the table, set it on a trivet and mix everything together before spooning into bowls
First published in 2016
DISCOVER MORE:
- Gochujang Recipes
- Beef Recipes
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Judy Joo
Judy Joo is a French-trained, Korean-American chef, writer and restaurateur whose culinary expertise spans the globe.
