Bibimbap

I found this recipe on Ambitious Delicious(ness). Try it if you like Korean food. Try it if you don't. It's a great way to get lots of veggies in at dinner. But if you're short on time, or pots and pans, be warned; this dish is not for you. It's time consuming because you have to prep and cook each vegetable separately and then wash all the dishes afterward. Lots of prep, lots of time, lots of dishes, but worth it if you have time.

In Korean bibimbap means "mixed rice," this dish was aptly named because basically it's steamed rice with a bunch of root vegetable side dishes mixed together.

My husband was the most excited for this meal; he ate it a lot when he lived in Korea, but I also enticed my 19 month-old to eat it. Probably because it was a colorful offering, although most of her food ended up on the floor.

Things I would do differently next time:
1. Serve it in really hot stone bowls. The rice in the bottom gets toasty and delicious in a hot stone.

2. Serve it with Miso or Egg Drop soup, like Ambitious Delicious(ness) suggests.

3. Use less gochujang in my bowl. I like spiciness, but my food was a bit like swallowing a live coal.

4. Cook the eggs as the final step. Layer the food in bowls and then cook the eggs and put on top.

Ingredients:
4 cups sushi rice, steamed
1 package baby spinach
1/2 pound ground beef
1 pound bean sprouts
2 carrots
1 large cucumber
7-8 whole mushrooms
6 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
4-5 eggs
salt to taste

Spinach:
Pour 3-4 cups of water into a pot. When the water is boiling, add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and squeeze excess water out. Season with salt and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Put an oven preheated to 170.

Bean Sprouts:
Wash sprouts, remove any filmy or long root pieces. Pour 3-4 cups of water into a pot. When the water is boiling, add bean sprouts, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, and season with salt and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Put cooked sprouts in the warm oven.

Carrots:
Peel and grate carrots. Coat a skillet with oil and cook carrots until tender. Remove from heat and put in the warm oven.

Enokitake Mushrooms: (I used white button mushrooms)
Remove mushroom ends with a knife. Chop mushroom caps and rinse with water. Pour 3-4 cups of water into a pot. When the water is boiling add chopped mushroom caps and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Put mushrooms in the warm oven.

Shitake Mushrooms: (I used white button mushrooms)
Wash mushrooms and slice into strips. Coat a skillet with oil and sauté until mushrooms are tender.

Cucumbers:
Wash cucumber, slice in half lengthwise, and then slice each half horizontally. Season with 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Set aside.

Ground beef:
Put ground beef into a mixing bowl. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cook until brown and thoroughly cooked.

Eggs:
Coat a skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the eggs over-easy, or over-medium; you want solid whites and semi-solid yolk. The yolk breaks when you put it over the rest of the ingredients and cooks through then.

To Serve:
Put about 1 cup of steamed sushi rice in the bottom of a HOT stone bowl. Add spinach, sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, cucumbers, and ground beef. Sprinkle a little sesame oil on top, add the egg, and a little gochujang. You can always add more gochujang if you think it needs more. Enjoy!

Note:
Prepare the raw ground beef first so the flavors of the soy sauce and garlic seep into the meat while you prepare the vegetables.

Printable version of Bibimbap