Bibimbap - Korean Mixed Rice Recipe
To prepare a quick basic bibimbap with 4-5 vegetables should take no more than 25-30 minutes. As you are adding more components, preparation time will increase. To make an elaborate bibimbap bowl with meat, doraji, gosari, and gaji namul will take well over an hour.
To prepare a quick basic bibimbap with 4-5 vegetables should take no more than 25-30 minutes. As you are adding more components, preparation time will increase. To make an elaborate bibimbap bowl with meat, doraji, gosari, and gaji namul will take well over an hour.
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 5 cups cooked rice
- 4 eggs ((fried sunny-side up, see note 1))
- 1 large cucumber ((thinly sliced or cut into matchsticks)
- 1 medium zucchini ((thinly sliced or cut into matchsticks)
- 1 medium carrot ((cut into matchsticks))
- 1 large red bell pepper ((cored seeded, and cut into thin strips (about 1 cup), or 2 carrots, pe
- 4 shiitake mushrooms ((thinly sliced you may also use other mushrooms such as portobello))
- 1 cups baby spinach ((parboiled and excess liquid squeez
- 1 cups bean sprouts ((parboiled and excess liquid squeez
- 4 tbsp plus â½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil ((divided))
- 2 tbsp sesame oil ((for serving))
- 4 tsp thinly sliced scallions ((for garnish))
- sea or kosher salt ((to taste))
- 3 tbsp gochujang ((if you like spicy food you can use gochujang paste on its own in you bibimbap bowl))
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 8 oz flank steak or filet mignon ((cut into matchstick
- 1 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 ounce dried doraji ((soaked in water for 18 to 24 hours
- â½ ounce dried gosari ((soaked (typically 24 hours then cut into pieces))
- â½ tsp vegetable oil
- â½ tsp minced garlic
- 2 medium asian eggplant
- 2 scallions ((finely chopped))
- 3 cloves ((minced))
- â¼ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp gochugaru
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp chopped korean kimchi ((per bowl))
- 3 tbsp cooked bulgogi (marinated beef) ((per bowl))
- 1 tbsp shredded korean roasted laver seaweed (gim) ((per
- 2 tbsp sliced daigu (pickled daikon radish) ((per bowl))
- 2 tbsp seaweed salad ((per bowl))
- Carbohydrate 99.5798162816253 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 15.7754995255112 g
- Fiber 5.60974608599437 g
- Protein 14.3669452343798 g
- Saturated Fat 2.24409875150977 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (617g)
- Sodium 1506.92055839252 mg
- Sugar 93.9700701956309 g
- Trans Fat 0.927591566970448 g
- Calories 596 calories
Step-by-step
- Cucumber: In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt with 2 cups of ice water. Drop the cucumber slices/matchsticks in the salted water for 20 minutes and then drain and squeeze excess water out.
- Spinach: In a small bowl, season the parboiled spinach with 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a ¼ teaspoon of the sesame seeds. Set aside.
- Bean sprouts: In a small bowl, season the parboiled bean sprouts with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Carrots: heat 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and a dash of salt, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until the carrots are crisp-tender. Remove the carrots and set aside.
- Zucchini: Add another teaspoon of the sesame oil to the skillet. Add the zucchini and a dash of salt, and sauté the zucchini for 1 to 2 minutes, until the slices are crisp-tender. Remove the zucchini and set aside.
- Bell pepper: heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the peppers and cook until warmed through, 30 seconds, or the carrots for 1 minute, then transfer to the platter.
- Mushrooms: Add another teaspoon of the sesame oil to the skillet. Add the mushrooms and a dash of salt, and sauté the mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes until tender. Remove the mushrooms and set aside.
- To prepare the sauce, in a small bowl, combine the gochujang, mirin, sugar, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.
- Divide the cooked rice in 4 large bowls and arrange the vegetables on top. Place an egg on top of the vegetables and rice. Garnish each egg with a pinch of sesame seeds and a teaspoon of sliced scallions.
- Serve with the sauce and the remaining sesame oil. The final step is to drizzle some bibimbap sauce and ½ tablespoon of sesame oil over the vegetables and egg, then mix everything together with a spoon before enjoying.
- To prepare the beef, combine the beef, soy sauce, honey, garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to use, cook in a skillet or a wok with one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat, until cooked through.
- Doraji: Drain the bellflower root. Toss with 1 tablespoon salt, then rub the bellflower for a minute to wilt it slightly and release some of its bitterness. Transfer to a sieve and rinse well to remove the salt, then drain thoroughly. Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over high heat. Turn down the heat to medium, add the bellflower root, stirring, and cook until wilted and softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the platter.
- Gosari: Cut the fernbrake into 2-inch lengths. Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fernbrake and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and sesame oil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer to the platter.
- Gaji namul: (Traditional preparation) Wash and cut the eggplant, cut in quarters lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Put the eggplant in a steamer basket set over boiling water and steam until fork-tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add the scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, gochugaru, sesame seeds, and salt, and season with pepper. Cool to room temperature before serving.For a non-traditional, alternative preparation method (my favorite), see note 3.
How do you keep five different vegetables from turning a rice bowl into a watery mess? The secret lies in treating each component according to its cellular structure before it ever touches the bowl. Water management dictates whether this dish succeeds or fails.
Cell walls in high-moisture produce like cucumbers and zucchini release water rapidly when exposed to heat or direct salt. Soaking cucumber matchsticks in ice water with 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt for 20 minutes draws out excess liquid via osmosis, firming the flesh so it stays crunchy rather than limp. Similarly, parboiled bean sprouts and baby spinach must undergo aggressive physical squeezing by hand to eliminate trapped internal moisture before seasoning.
Sautéing individual elements requires precise thermal management to achieve crisp-tender results without browning the wrong ingredients. Carrots and zucchini need only 1 to 2 minutes in a skillet with a teaspoon of sesame oil to soften slightly while retaining structural bite. Cooking items separately prevents steaming, ensuring individual flavors remain distinct.
Combining components at the table requires mechanical force rather than gentle folding. Drizzling gochujang sauce and 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil over the egg and vegetables just before eating allows the fat to coat the rice grains while the paste adheres evenly. Every spoonful should deliver a balance of soft starch, chewy protein, and crisp produce.
Salting and Squeezing Moisture
Cell walls in high-moisture produce like cucumbers and zucchini release water rapidly when exposed to heat or direct salt. Soaking cucumber matchsticks in ice water with 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt for 20 minutes draws out excess liquid via osmosis, firming the flesh so it stays crunchy rather than limp. Similarly, parboiled bean sprouts and baby spinach must undergo aggressive physical squeezing by hand to eliminate trapped internal moisture before seasoning.
Controlling the Pan Heat
Sautéing individual elements requires precise thermal management to achieve crisp-tender results without browning the wrong ingredients. Carrots and zucchini need only 1 to 2 minutes in a skillet with a teaspoon of sesame oil to soften slightly while retaining structural bite. Cooking items separately prevents steaming, ensuring individual flavors remain distinct.
The Final Integration
Combining components at the table requires mechanical force rather than gentle folding. Drizzling gochujang sauce and 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil over the egg and vegetables just before eating allows the fat to coat the rice grains while the paste adheres evenly. Every spoonful should deliver a balance of soft starch, chewy protein, and crisp produce.
