Korean Vegetable Rice Bowl Recipes

KOREAN GROUND BEEF AND RICE BOWLS

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook the ground beef and garlic breaking it into crumbles over medium heat until no longer pink.
• In a small bowl whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Pour over the ground beef and let simmer for another minute or two.
• Serve over hot rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

BIBIMBAP (KOREAN RICE WITH MIXED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Stir cucumber pieces with 1/4 cup gochujang paste in a bowl; set aside.
• Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a large nonstick skillet and stir in spinach; cook until spinach is bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible; set spinach aside in a bowl and stir soy sauce into spinach.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet and cook and stir carrots until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in cucumber pieces with gochujang paste; sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and set the mixture aside in a bowl.
• Brown beef in a clean nonstick skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, and set aside. In a separate nonstick skillet, heat 1 more teaspoon olive oil over medium-low heat and fry the eggs just on one side until yolks are runny but whites are firm, 2 to 4 minutes each.
• To assemble the dish, divide cooked rice into 4 large serving bowls; top with spinach mixture, a few pieces of beef, and cucumber mixture. Place 1 egg atop each serving. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a small amount of gochujang paste if desired.

KOREAN VEGETABLE RICE BOWL

Steps:

• Wash rice in several changes of cold water until water is almost clear, then drain in a sieve. Bring rice and water (2 cups) to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then stir rice from top to bottom. Keep warm, covered.
• Wash spinach well and cook in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water , stirring, until just wilted, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer with tongs to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, reserving cooking water. Drain spinach and squeeze small handfuls to remove as much moisture as possible. Return spinach-cooking water to a boil, then add bean sprouts and cook, stirring, until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander.
• Holding each carrot at a 45-degree angle to slicer, cut carrots into thin (1/8-inch) matchsticks. Cut skin and firm flesh of zucchini lengthwise into long strips using slicer, avoiding center core with seeds (discard core). Rinse and drain fern stems, then cut off and discard any dark or hard pieces. Cut ferns crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
• Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, swirling to coat, until hot but not smoking, then sauté mushrooms, 1 teaspoon garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil and transfer to a small bowl. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel. Working with each vegetable separately, sauté carrots, zucchini, bean sprouts, fern stems, and spinach, each in 2 teaspoons vegetable oil with 1 teaspoon garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt, in same manner, then stirring in 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil for each. Transfer each vegetable to its own bowl as cooked and season with salt. Stir 1 teaspoon sesame seeds into spinach.
• Wipe skillet clean and heat remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then crack eggs into skillet and fry until whites are cooked and yolks begin to set, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Divide rice among 4 shallow bowls, mounding it into a dome. Arrange vegetables on top of rice and place 1 egg on top of each rice bowl. Spoon 1 tablespoon hot-pepper paste over each serving, then sprinkle with nori and remaining teaspoon sesame seeds.

BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Cook the rice, without soaking and using a little less water than the amount you normally use. The rice for bibimbap should be a little drier than usual for best results.
• Beef: Cut into thin 2-inch long strips. Mix in 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of rice wine, 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 sesame seeds and a pinch of pepper. Marinate for 20 minutes. Sauté in a skillet for 2-3 minutes over high heat.
• Bean sprouts: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the bean sprouts and briefly blanch, about 1 minute, flipping over once. Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain again. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds, and salt (about 1/2 teaspoon).
• Spinach: Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water only until wilted, about 40 seconds. Drain quickly and shock in cold water. Squeeze out water. Cut into 3-inch lengths. 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 (about 1/2 teaspoon).
• Cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise. Generously sprinkle salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) over sliced cucumbers and set aside for 10 - 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid. Toss with 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds.
• Mushrooms and carrots: Thinly slice the mushrooms and carrots. Sauté each vegetable in a lightly oiled skillet for 1 - 2 minutes over medium-high heat, sprinkling with salt (about 1/4 teaspoon).
• Kongnamul (Soybean sprouts): Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soy beansprouts and boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain again. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds, and salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) to taste.
• Musaengchae (spicy radish salad): Cut 10 ounces of Korean radish (mu) into matchsticks. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped scallion, 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste), 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Mix everything well.
• Fry the eggs sunny side up or to your preference.
• Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetable and beef over the rice. Drizzle a little sesame oil over. Top with an optional fried egg and serve with the sauce.
• For dolsot bibimbap: Lightly oil a stone or earthenware bowl with a teaspoon of sesame oil over medium heat. Add a serving of cooked rice and arrange the toppings on top. Cook for several minutes until the rice sizzles.