Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice Bowl) Recipe

Bibimbap is a vibrant Korean rice bowl topped with an assortment of sautéed vegetables, a fried egg, and sometimes beef, all mixed with gochujang (spicy chili paste) and sesame oil. This dish combines flavors, colors, and textures, offering a balanced, nutritious meal in a single bowl.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked white rice
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 zucchini, julienned
• 1 cup of spinach, blanched
• 1/2 cup of bean sprouts, blanched
• 4-6 shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup of ground beef or sliced beef (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, plus extra for cooking
• 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

1. Step 1: Marinate the Beef Thinly slice the beef across the grain and place it in a bowl. Add soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Mix well, then cover the bowl. Marinate in the fridge until ready to cook.
2. Step 2: Prepare the Bibimbap Sauce In a bowl, combine gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
3. Step 3: Make the Pickled Spicy Sesame Carrots Julienne the carrots into thin matchstick pieces. Place them in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt. Lightly crush to bruise. Transfer the carrots to a glass jar and add soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and gochugaru. Mix well, pack down, cover with a lid, and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Step 4: Stir-Fry the Vegetables Slice zucchini into quarter moons (slice into coins, then quarter each piece). Place in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and mix. Let sit for 5 minutes, then strain and pat dry. Heat a wok over medium-low heat, adding a drizzle of sesame oil. Sauté spinach with a pinch of salt until wilted, then set aside. Increase the heat to high, add vegetable oil, and stir-fry the zucchini for 60 seconds. Add sesame oil, mix, remove, and set aside. Repeat the stir-frying process with mushrooms and garlic, then set aside.
5. Step 5: Finish the Beef & Eggs and Assemble the Bowls Stir-fry the marinated beef until fully cooked (160°F/71°C), then set aside.Fry one egg per serving.To serve, place rice in each bowl. Arrange beef, stir-fried vegetables, and pickled carrots on top. Add a dollop of bibimbap sauce, top with a fried egg, and garnish with sliced scallions.