Bibimbap

This dish originates from the war days in Korea where a bit of "whatever" food could be found and mixed with rice. There are no rules about what you can and can't put in a bibimbap - it's direct translation to English is "mixing rice" and that is exactly what we do.

 

INGREDIENTS:

2.5 cups short grain rice

2 carrots, peeled

oil

pinch salt

1 cup dried shitake mushrooms

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 bunch English spinach

2 cups bean sprouts

1 cucumber, sliced in lengths 3 x 1/2 cm

4 eggs

ENGLISH SPINACH SEASONING SAUCE

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon Korean beef stock

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

BEAN SPROUT SEASONING SAUCE

1/4 tablespoon sesame oil

1/4 tablespoon sesame seeds

pinch salt

GOCHUJANG SAUCE made by me...

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a bowl, wash the rice about four times or until the water seems clear, then cook in a rice cooker or if you do not have one then put 3 cups water from the final wash in a pot with the rice and hear for 4 minutes on a high heat. When it boils, continue on a medium heat for a further 3 minutes. The lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cut or grate the carrots into pieces about 3cm in length, then stir fry in a little oil and a pinch of salt until the carrot is just soft.

Soak the mushrooms in water for 30 minutes, drain and then pan fry in a little oil with a pinch of salt until soft.

Stir fry the onion in a little oil until soft but not brown.

Heat water in a saucepan and blanch the English spinach. Wash thoroughly to remove any sand and then squeeze out excess water with your hands and mix with the seasoning sauce.

Heat some water in a saucepan, when boiling add the bean sprouts and a pinch of salt boiling for 2 minutes. Drain and then add the seasoning sauce mixing with your hands.

Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls. Lightly beat both and in a small pan put in a splash of oil and fry both yolks ad whites separately. When cooled cut into lengths of 3 x 1/2 cm wide.

When all the ingredients are prepared it is now time to assemble the bibimbap. First in a medium size bowl and 1 cup of cooked rice in the centre. Now carefully place the ingredients in even amounts in a circle on top of the rice.

Fry the eggs and place on top of the bibimbap drizzling a teaspoon of sesame oil over the ready meal.

Now go generously with my gochujang sauce over your meal and MIX... Enjoy.