Spring Bibimbap Recipes

BIBIMBAP (KOREAN RICE WITH MIXED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Stir cucumber pieces with 1/4 cup gochujang paste in a bowl; set aside.
• Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a large nonstick skillet and stir in spinach; cook until spinach is bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible; set spinach aside in a bowl and stir soy sauce into spinach.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet and cook and stir carrots until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in cucumber pieces with gochujang paste; sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and set the mixture aside in a bowl.
• Brown beef in a clean nonstick skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, and set aside. In a separate nonstick skillet, heat 1 more teaspoon olive oil over medium-low heat and fry the eggs just on one side until yolks are runny but whites are firm, 2 to 4 minutes each.
• To assemble the dish, divide cooked rice into 4 large serving bowls; top with spinach mixture, a few pieces of beef, and cucumber mixture. Place 1 egg atop each serving. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a small amount of gochujang paste if desired.

BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Cook the rice, without soaking and using a little less water than the amount you normally use. The rice for bibimbap should be a little drier than usual for best results.
• Beef: Cut into thin 2-inch long strips. Mix in 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of rice wine, 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 sesame seeds and a pinch of pepper. Marinate for 20 minutes. Sauté in a skillet for 2-3 minutes over high heat.
• 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).
• Spinach: 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).
• Cucumbers: 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.
• Mushrooms and carrots: 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).
• Kongnamul (Soybean sprouts): Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soy beansprouts and boil for 2-3 minutes. 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) to taste.
• Musaengchae (spicy radish salad): Cut 10 ounces of Korean radish (mu) into matchsticks. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped scallion, 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste), 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Mix everything well.
• Fry the eggs sunny side up or to your preference.
• Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetable and beef over the rice. Drizzle a little sesame oil over. Top with an optional fried egg and serve with the sauce.
• For dolsot bibimbap: Lightly oil a stone or earthenware bowl with a teaspoon of sesame oil over medium heat. Add a serving of cooked rice and arrange the toppings on top. Cook for several minutes until the rice sizzles.

SPRING BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Trim the stems from the Swiss chard. Cut or tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Reserve half of stems for another use or discard them. Slice the remaining stems into 2-inch lengths, and then into halves, quarters, or eighths to make uniform matchsticks and transfer them to a medium bowl.
• Slice the cucumber into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, then stack them up and slice into matchsticks. Slice the carrot into thin (less than 1/4-inch) rounds. Slice the radishes into thinnest possible rounds. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the chard stems. Toss with the sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and let stand as you prepare the rest of the meal. Just before serving, rinse and drain the veggies, blot dry with a clean towel, and toss with the rice vinegar.
• Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil. Using tongs, add the Swiss chard leaves in increments, adding more as each batch cooks down. Add a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently with the tongs for 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted and the pan appears mostly dry. Remove from the heat and gather up the greens to one side of the pan with a spatula. Holding the chard in place and gently squeezing, tilt the pan over the sink and pour off any excess liquid. (You can do this in a colander if you're worried about accidently dumping the greens into the sink.) Place the chard in a bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the sesame seeds. Wipe out the skillet.
• To make crispy-base bibimbap rice (optional): Just before serving, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Press the rice into the skillet, making a thick cake. Let cook without disturbing for 4 to 5 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom of the rice.
• Wave the nori squares over the flame of a gas burner a few times, until the corners curl and they turn crisp, or roast under a broiler, flipping periodically. Slice into thin strips with a chef's knife, or crumble with your fingers.
• To serve, use a spatula to scoop out the rice and divide it among four bowls, ensuring that everyone gets some of the crispy part. Top with the Swiss chard, kimchi, and avocado, then use a slotted spoon to add the pickled vegetables to the bowls. Garnish with the nori and serve immediately, passing the Gochujang sauce at the table.

SHEET-PAN BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• On a large sheet pan, arrange the mushrooms, sweet potato, red onion and kale into four separate quadrants. Drizzle the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat, keeping the types of vegetables separate. Try to not crowd the vegetables; you want them to brown, not steam. Roast on the top rack until the sweet potato is fork-tender, the onion and mushrooms are slightly caramelized and the kale is crispy but not burnt, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place another large sheet pan on the bottom rack to heat. When the vegetables are almost done cooking, in the last 5 minutes or so, remove the heated pan from the oven and evenly drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil on it. Spread the rice over half of the pan. Crack the eggs onto the other half and carefully transfer to the oven. Bake until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, 3 to 6 minutes (this time may vary depending on your oven, so watch it carefully).
• To serve, divide the rice evenly among four bowls. Now divide the vegetables evenly as well, placing them in four neat piles over each portion of rice. Use a spatula to slide the eggs over the vegetables. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and dollop with 1 teaspoon of gochujang, adding more if desired. Mix everything together with a spoon or chopsticks before diving in, and serve kimchi alongside, if you prefer.