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Simple Veggie Bibimbap

Simple Veggie Bibimbap
If I had to choose two cuisines to go by for the rest of my life, it would be Italian and Korean. Yes, it is one of the dumb questions I like to think about and to ask around. This one is hard to answer when you love food, so you have to think carefully about the criterion you use. Of course, it should be the cuisine that gives you the more emotions. But what is the rationale behind it ? For me, I found that there were two main reasons :
  • when the result is far superior to the sum of the parts ;
  • when instead of having your pleasure decrease as you eat it, you just can't stop going back at it !
Bibimbap is one of those dishes. Rice, spinach, carrot, mushrooms ? Ok, boring ! But what a mistake ! Because what truly happens is a match between soft, comfy rice, and a mix of soft and crunchy vegetables, full of umami thanks to the healthy dose of garlic and sesame oil in the spinach, and the bulgogi sauce in the mushrooms ; to top it all, the bibimbap sauce is the magic link that binds it all together, hinting at the garlicky and sesamey flavours in the rest of the dish while adding tang and spice. I love this dish. It can quickly become very time consuming to prep all veggies plus your meat though, so I narrowed it down to the three veggie side dishes that I find lend the bibimbap its typical savoury yet sweet, but also garlicky and sesamey flavour profile. Thanks to the mushrooms bulgogi, you won't even miss the meat !

Simple Veggie Bibimbap - Recipe

Ingredients - Advice & key points

Some specific ingredients for this dish are basic Korean pantry items (soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and gochujang). For some of them, you might need to visit an Asian store :
  • If you're in Paris :
    • for my Korean items, I'm sure to find them (especially gochujang) at the K-mart near Opera (there are several others K-marts, check on Google) ;
    • you can also go to Tang Frères in the 13th (they have other stores in Paris but be careful, some are small, this one is large) or Paris Store in the 10th ;
    • ever since I moved to the 18th, I've been going to XP 16 or Chen Market, but those shops are slightly smaller, especially XP16, and you might not find everything you need. 
  • If you're in France :
    • Paris Store has several shops across the country ;
    • you can also order online ! There are several online Asian websites you can order from.
    • For my foreign friends : I bet you can easily find some Asian shops around you or online, but if you can't, message me with your location and I will try to find it for you !

Cooking - Advice & key points

  • To get a better texture and flavour, I recommend using a cast-iron or a stainless steel one when you cook your mushrooms ;
  • When you make a dolsot-bibimbap, meaning you heat it up in a stove-hot stone bowl – the 'dolsot', you even get the additional crunch of the rice, that will crisp up in the bottom of the bowl with the help of a bit of sesame oil. It is a nice addition, but you can do without -or put your rice in a nonstick skillet, and heat it up a few minutes before adding it to your bowls !
  • While the egg is traditionally added raw, you can choose to pan-fry it, especially if not using a dolsot, because the dolsot heat slightly cooks it when you mix it all up.
Got everything you need ? Let's Bibimbap !
Cooking Method ,
Cuisine ,
Courses
Difficulty Beginner
Time
Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 20 min Total Time: 50 mins
Servings 4
Best Season Suitable throughout the year
Description

Soft and crunchy rice topped with a wonderful trio ; crispy carrot matchsticks, garlicky and sesamey spinach, and smoky mushrooms seasoned with bulgogi sauce. The bold red bibimbap sauce and the egg add another dimension to this dish. Somehow, this is you upgraded, saucey and umami fried rice. 

Ingredients
  • 400 grams short-grain rice
  • 4 eggs (fresh and raw)
  • 4 tablespoons sesame oil
    • For the Mushroom Bulgogi
  • 500 grams fresh shiitakes & brown mushrooms (or either one)
  • 20 grams butter
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (1 tbsp = ~3 garlic cloves)
  • 1,5 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1,5 tablespoon honey (or agave syrup)
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/3 teaspoon smoked salt (no more, bc of the soy sauce)
    • For the Spinach
  • 650 grams fresh spinach (multiply by four-fifths if using frozen)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic (1 tsp = ~ 1 small garlic clove)
  • 3 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
    • For the carrots
  • 3 medium carrots (cut into matchsticks)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • For the bibimbap sauce
  • 6 tablespoons gochujang (6 tbsp = 4 heaped tbsp))
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons agave (or honey)
  • 2 tablespoons water (or more if needed)
  • 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prepare your ingredients

    Wash your rice several times (4 to 5 usually) until the water gets almost translucent. Add your water, then let it soak.

    Peel and cut your carrot into matchsticks. Add to a bowl with 1/2 tsp salt ; set aside.

    Slice your mushrooms.

    Wash well, then remove the thick stems of your spinach if using fresh (by hand or using scissors/a knife).

    Mince your garlic.

    Toast your sesame seeds if needed (around 2mn in a hot pan). 

  2. Cook them veggies

    Using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, drain well your carrot matchsticks ; there should be a small pool of water in the bowl where you left them. 

    Add water to a medium-large pot until half full. When the water boils, blanch your spinach 1 minute, then leave in the sink to drain.  

    Make your bulgogi sauce by mixing all the ingredients together.

    Put your pan on medium-high heat with your neutral oil. Add your carrots ; cook around 1 minute and a half, then remove from heat. 

    Using a paper towel, quickly wipe your pan clean. 

    Add your butter and oil to the pan. When it reaches medium-high heat, add your mushrooms. Let it cook 5 minutes. Add salt ; cook 5 to 7 more minutes until browned.

    While the mushrooms cook, make the bibimbap sauce by mixing all the ingredients together. 

    When the mushrooms are almost ready, add your garlic ; let it sizzle 30 seconds, then add your bulgogi sauce. Leave it for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. 

    Squeeze your spinach well (this should last around 3-5 minutes !), then cut your spinach ball in 3 to 6 parts. Add the spinach seasonings, then mix well, using a wooden spoon or your clean hands. 

  4. Sizzle that rice !

    Add around 1 small tbsp of sesame oil per dolsot. Add your rice, then fill each third of the space on top of the rice with carrots, mushrooms and spinach. In the center, add your raw egg.

    Cook around 5 minutes over low heat. You should quickly start hearing the rice crackling noise. Remove from heat.

    Et voilà !! You're done !

    Alternatively, if you don't own a dolsot, spread your rice over a nonstick pan where you put 1 to 2 tbsp of sesame oil. Let it sizzle 5 minutes on low heat, then divide and put inside your bowls. You can also skip the step altogether ; your rice won't be crispy, but it will still be delicious !
Keywords: home made, bibimbap, gochujang, sizzled, rice, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, Sigeumchi-namul, comforting
Read it online: https://multicarbs.com/recipe/simple-veggie-bibimbap/

Thank you for trying out this recipe ! Do not hesitate to leave some feedback. I hope it brightened your day.