dp spotlight sf Recipe: Bibimbap

PREP TIME: 30 mins

COOK TIME: 30 mins

Bibimbap is one of the most well-known Korean dishes and literally translates to "mixed rice" (with meat and vegetables). As such, you can take this dish in so many different directions, but we like to do ours with marinated ground beef and topped with a fried egg. You could easily substitute the ground beef for thin slices of steak, ground chicken, or sliced chicken breast.

Bibimbap sauce is one of the key ingredients you cannot miss - it makes everything in the bowl delicious. The backbone of bibimbap sauce is gochujang, which is a popular Korean miso-based chili paste. You can find it at most Asian grocery stores, but if you're in a pinch you can substitute it by combining miso paste with water, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and chili powder.

When it comes to plating and serving, there really are no rules...but we suggest trying to use alternating colours so you can make the dish look as good as it tastes!

INGREDIENTS:

Servings: 4

Beef + Marinade

1 lb 100% grass-fed ground beef (or your other choice of protein)
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced
Chopped green stems from 1 green onion

Vegetables, Eggs, and Rice

1 lb baby spinach
1 garlic clove, minced
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced thin (julienne style)
1 tsp kosher salt
4 servings steamed rice (we like using short grain rice)
1 tbsp vegetable cooking oil (we use avocado oil)
4 eggs (ideally from pasture raised hens!)

Bibimbap Sauce & Garnish

4 tbsp gochujang (or the substitute mentioned above)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in a pan (reserve 1 tbsp for garnish at the end)
1 green onion, chopped for garnish (reserve the green stems for adding to the beef)

PREPARATION:

STEP 1
In a medium size bowl, mix beef marinade ingredients together and then add the beef to marinate for about 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

STEP 2
Prepare rice according to instructions. Mix the bibimbap sauce - toast the sesame seeds in a hot skillet until fragrant and then mix them with the remaining sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

STEP 3
Add some cooking oil to a large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for about one minute. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt. Sautee until wilted, and set aside until ready to serve.

STEP 4
Remove any excess liquid from the skillet and add some more cooking oil. Turn heat to medium-high and add the sliced carrots and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook until softened, about 2-4 minutes, and then set aside until ready to serve.

STEP 5
While the carrots are cooking, add a little cooking oil to another skillet (or wok, if available) on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the beef and cook for about 3-5 minutes. In the final 2 minutes, mix in the chopped green onion stems. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to serve.

STEP 6
After carrots are finished cooking, set them aside and add cooking oil to the large skillet on medium-high heat and add the shiitake mushrooms with the remaining salt. Cook until they have softened, about 2-4 minutes and set aside until ready to serve.

STEP 7
Return large skillet to the stove and add some cooking oil on low heat. Crack an egg into a small bowl and gently place into the skillet. Repeat with the rest of the eggs. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook, uninterrupted, until the whites are completely set but the yolks are still runny, about 2-3 minutes.

STEP 8
While the eggs are cooking, begin preparing the bowls by putting the cooked rice into a bowl and topping with the meat and assorted vegetables. Gently top with fried egg and then garnish with remaining toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Repeat with remaining bowls and eggs. Serve with bibimbap sauce and enjoy!