Simple Seoul Bibimbap Recipes

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.

VEGETARIAN BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir carrot and zucchini in the hot oil until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Cook and stir until carrots are tender, about 5 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and set vegetables aside.
• Stir cooked rice, green onions, soy sauce, and black pepper in the same skillet until the rice is hot. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt butter and gently fry eggs, turning once, until the yolks are still slightly runny but the egg whites are firm, about 3 minutes per egg.
• To serve, divide hot cooked rice mixture between 3 serving bowls and top each bowl with 1/3 of the vegetable mixture and a fried egg. Serve sweet red chili sauce on the side for mixing into bibimbap.

EASY BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Put the steak into a bowl and add the soy sauce.
• Boil the rice following packet instructions. Meanwhile heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan or wok then add the steak, leaving the soy sauce behind in the bowl. Fry quickly at a high temperature until well browned on the outside, put it onto a board and cover with foil to rest. Now fry the carrots in the same pan, stir frying for 2-3 mins until starting to soften then transfer to a plate. Next add the spinach and fry until just wilted (about a minute). Finally fry the eggs, adding a little extra oil if the pan is dry.
• When the rice is cooked, drain and pile into 2 bowls. Slice the steak then put it on top of the rice. Next to that add a clump of the cooked carrots, then the spinach and finally the ginger. Scatter the sesame seeds over the top. Stir all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and serve alongside the rice. The best way to eat it is to dollop on a good serving of the sauce, break into the egg and stir everything together so the sauce and the runny egg yolk get deliciously mixed up with all the vegetables and steak.

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.

BIBIMBAP (A SIGNATURE KOREAN RICE DISH)

Steps:

• Cook the rice (as directed on the package).
• While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables and sauces. Slice the carrot, zucchini and mushrooms thinly, so they will soften easily when sautéed.
• Heat a frying pan with 2-3 drops of sesame oil then stir-fry each sort of vegetable separately, with a pinch of salt each. Set aside.
• Mix all the ingredients of a sauce of your choice. Set aside.
• Place a portion of steamed rice in the middle of the plate, and arrange the sautéed vegetables on top. Drizzle the rest of the sesame oil. Serve with the sauce. Mix thoroughly before eating.
• Sunny side up eggs are a common addition. Place fried eggs on top of the rice and arrange vegetables around it for a colourful look.

ULTIMATE BIBIMBAP SAUCE, 4 WAYS

Steps:

• Choose your choice of sauce. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix them well.

SIMPLE SEOUL BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Prepare the beef: Freeze the beef 30 minutes, then slice paper-thin. Whisk the brown sugar, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, onion, applesauce, vegetable oil, soy sauce and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add the beef and stir to coat; cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place 4 dolsot stone bowls or two 10-to-12-inch cast-iron skillets in the oven to preheat, 30 minutes.
• Cook the beef: Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the beef from the marinade and shake off the excess. Add the beef to the pan (you may have to do this in batches-be careful not to overcrowd the pan or the beef will steam). Cook without moving the meat, about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook 1 more minute. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.
• Cook the veggies: Combine 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the carrots in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, tossing, until the carrots are slightly tender but still crisp, just under 1 minute. Transfer to a large plate in a pile, leaving space for the other ingredients. Add 1 more tablespoon vegetable oil to the same pan; add the mushrooms and cook until they wilt and begin to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to the plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the spinach to the pan. Cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 minute, then add the vinegar and cook until completely evaporated, about 30 seconds. Place the spinach on the plate with the rest of the vegetables.
• Assemble the bibimbap: Mix the gochujang with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; set aside. Remove the preheated bowls or skillets from the oven to a heat-safe surface, like a wooden cutting board. Add equal amounts of hot rice to each pot. (The rice must be piping hot in order to cook the egg yolk when you stir it in.) Add equal amounts of the remaining ingredients to each bowl or skillet in piles, clockwise in order: beef, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, cabbage, scallions, bean sprouts and kimchi. Drop a dollop of the gochujang mixture in the center of each bowl or skillet, then drop the egg yolks right on top of it (1 yolk per individual bowl or 2 yolks per skillet). Serve immediately, while the rice is still sizzling, and stir to combine all of the ingredients before eating.

BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• *Cook's Note: This can be done in a regular bowl or a hot stone bowl. If it's in a hot stone bowl, the rice becomes crunchy because it's still cooking.
• Put cooked rice in large slightly shallow bowl. Place bulgogi (with juices from cooked meat) and veggies on top of rice but place separately so you can see each ingredient beautifully placed on rice. Put egg on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce.
• When ready to eat, mix all ingredients together with some gochuchang paste, to taste. The bibimpap should be moist and not dry. Add more sesame oil and gochuchang paste, to taste.
• Place rib-eye in freezer for about 30 minutes so that it is easier to thinly slice. When partially frozen, remove from freezer and thinly slice. Set aside.
• Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a large baking dish. Add the thinly sliced beef and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight; it is best if marinated overnight.
• Heat grill to high. Remove beef from marinade and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to compile Bibimbap.
• Gochuchang Paste (seasoned red pepper paste):
• 4 tablespoons gochuchang (available at Korean grocers)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well.