Bibimbap

Method12 steps · about 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Cook the 3 cups short-grain rice without soaking, following your rice cooker or rice package and using slightly less water than usual. The rice should be a little drier than usual for bibimbap.

   Uses 3 cups short grain rice · Water for cooking the short-grain rice

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Cut the beef into thin 2-inch strips, or use ground beef. Mix with 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons cooking rice wine, 1 tablespoon chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, sesame seeds (to taste) to taste and a pinch of pepper. Marinate for 20 minutes. Stir-fry over high heat for 2–3 minutes, until cooked through.

   Marinate beef before its 2–3-minute stir-fry · 20 minUses 8 ounces thinly sliced tender beef (rib eye, sirloin, etc. or ground beef) · 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce for beef · 2 teaspoons sugar · 2 teaspoons sesame oil · 2 teaspoons cooking rice wine (Mirin or Mirim) · 1 tsp minced garlic for beef · 1 tbsp chopped scallion for beef · pepper to taste

   
3. 3

   Step 3: 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).

   Briefly blanch mung bean sprouts · 1 minUses 8 oz mung bean sprouts; soybean sprouts are an alternative · 2 cups water for mung-bean-sprout blanching · Cold water for shocking blanched vegetables · 1/2 tsp vegetable garlic · 1 tsp vegetable sesame oil · 1/2 tsp vegetable sesame seeds · About 1/2 tsp salt to taste

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Spinach (1 bunch): 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).

   Blanch spinach until just wilted · 1 minUses 1 bunch spinach, about 8 ounces · Water for blanching spinach · Cold water for shocking blanched vegetables · 1 tbsp vegetable scallion · 1/2 tsp vegetable garlic · 1 tsp vegetable sesame oil · 1/2 tsp vegetable sesame seeds · Salt for blanching and about 1/2 tsp seasoning, to taste

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Cucumbers (2 small): 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.

   Salt cucumbers before squeezing · 15 minUses 2 small cucumbers, about 5 ounces · About 1/2 tsp salt for drawing out cucumber water · 1 tbsp vegetable scallion · 1/2 tsp vegetable garlic · 1 tsp vegetable sesame oil · 1/2 tsp vegetable sesame seeds

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Mushrooms (4 ounces) and carrots (2 medium): 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).

   Cook each vegetable separately · 2 minUses 4 ounces mushrooms (shiitake, white, cremini, etc.) · 2 medium carrots, about 5 ounces · cooking oil · About 1/4 tsp salt for each vegetable, to taste

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Optional soybean sprouts: use these instead of the mung bean sprouts in step 3, or as an additional topping. Bring the separate 2 cups water to a boil. Add the 8 oz soybean sprouts and boil for 2–3 minutes. Drain, shock in cold water and drain again. Toss with their separate 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds and about 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjusting to taste.

   Boil optional soybean sprouts · 3 minUses 8 ounces Kongnamul (soybean sprouts) · 2 cups water for optional soybean sprouts · Cold water for shocking blanched vegetables · 1/2 tsp minced garlic for optional soybean sprouts · 1 tsp sesame oil for optional soybean sprouts · 1/2 tsp sesame seeds for optional soybean sprouts · About 1/2 tsp salt for optional soybean sprouts, to taste

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Optional spicy radish salad: cut 10 oz Korean radish into matchsticks. Mix with the separately listed 2 tablespoons chopped scallion, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.

   Uses 10 ounces mu (Korean radish) · 2 tbsp chopped scallion for optional radish salad · 1 tbsp gochugaru for optional radish salad · 1 tsp minced garlic for optional radish salad · 1/2 tsp salt for optional radish salad, or more to taste · 1 tsp sugar for optional radish salad · 1 tsp sesame seeds for optional radish salad

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Fry the optional eggs (4) sunny side up or to your preference. Use commercially pasteurized eggs if serving with runny yolks, or cook the yolks and whites until firm.

   Uses 4 eggs - optional · cooking oil

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Mix the sauce ingredients: 4 tablespoons gochujang, 2 teaspoons sugar (adjust between 1 and 3 teaspoons to taste), 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon water.

    Uses 4 tablespoons gochujang, 고추장 · 2 tsp sugar for sauce, adjust between 1–3 tsp to taste · 1 tablespoon sesame oil · 1 tablespoon water

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Choose standard bowl assembly here, or hot-stone assembly in step 12. For standard bibimbap, divide the cooked rice among four large bowls. Arrange the cooked beef and each selected prepared vegetable over the rice. Drizzle with a little sesame oil, add an optional fried egg to each bowl and serve with the gochujang sauce. If desired, divide the reserved 1 tbsp chopped vegetable scallion over the four finished bowls.

    Uses Cooked rice · Cooked beef · Prepared mung bean sprouts, if selected · Prepared spinach · Prepared cucumbers · Cooked mushrooms and carrots · Prepared soybean sprouts, if selected · Prepared radish salad, if selected

12. 12

    Step 12: For hot-stone bibimbap instead of standard assembly, lightly oil each stone or earthenware bowl with 1 teaspoon sesame oil over medium heat. Divide the cooked rice and selected prepared toppings among four bowls. Cook for several minutes until the rice sizzles, then add any optional fried egg and serve with the gochujang sauce. If desired, divide the reserved 1 tbsp chopped vegetable scallion over the four finished bowls.

    Uses Cooked rice · Cooked beef · Prepared mung bean sprouts, if selected · Prepared spinach · Prepared cucumbers · Cooked mushrooms and carrots · Prepared soybean sprouts, if selected · Prepared radish salad, if selected