Bibimbap

This seems like a lot of work. In case, I decide to try making it, at least I have a recipe!

Mixed Rice Bowl (Bibimbap)

Bulgogi:

1 lb sliced rib eye (or bulgogi beef)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame sauce
1 tsp sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
About ½ tsp black pepper (optional)

Marinate the sliced rib-eye in soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic for at least 30 minutes. Stir-fry the meat until thoroughly cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Add the black pepper, if you like. Set aside.

Spinach (Shigumchi Namool):

2 bundles of spinach, trimmed and thoroughly washed
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp salt

Blanch the spinach by quickly dunking the leaves in boiling water. Rinse immediately in cold water to stop cooking.

In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. Add spinach. Remove from heat, add salt and toss. Set aside.

Mushrooms (Buhsut Namool):

10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp salt

If using dried mushrooms, soak them in water for about 1 hour before slicing.

In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and mushrooms and stir-fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and toss. Set aside.

Soybean Sprouts (Kohng Namool):

Water
1 lb soybean sprouts, washed and trimmed, if desired
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp salt

In a medium-sized pot, bring about ½ cup of water to a boil. Add the soybean sprouts and cover. Only some of the sprouts will be covered in water; the steam will cook the rest. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. Add sprouts. Remove from heat, add salt and toss. Set aside.

Korean Zucchinis (Hobak Namool):

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium Korean zucchinis, Korean, julienned
½ tsp salt

In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. Add Korean zucchinis and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until the zucchinis are slightly limp. Remove from heat, add salt, and toss. Set aside.

Fern Bracken (Gosali Namool)—can be omitted. Ask the Korean grocers what can be substituted if you cannot find fern bracken.

2 tbsps vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ pound fern bracken
1 tsp salt

In skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add garlic and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. Add the fern bracken and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, add salt and toss. Set aside.

Carrots:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium carrots, Korean julienned or che cut
½ tsp salt

In skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add carrots and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes (until carrots soften but do not lose their color). Add salt and toss. Set aside.

5 c of short grain rice, cooked
5 eggs, fried sunny side up
5 sprigs crown daisy leaves (soot), optional
Seasoned chili paste, sesame oil and soy sauce to taste

Assembly and presentation

Place 1 cup of rice in each of the five separate bowls. Arrange the vegetables and meat on top of the rice in a circle by color. Make sure there are no similar-colored vegetables next to each other. Place fried egg in each bowl. Garnish each bowl with a sprig of crown daisy. Serve immediately with seasoned chili paste (yangnyum gochujang), if you like it spicy, or with sesame oil and soy sauce.

(Recipe courtesy of the Korean Cultural Office, by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee)