Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice)

Making art with Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice) recipe, a wholesome rice bowl, beef, loads of vegetables, and bibimbap sauce that tastes savory, sweet, tangy, and a little spicy. Mix it all up with a sunny-side-up egg into one big bowl of deliciousness! It’s the ultimate comfort food! P.s; You can omit the meat and egg for vegetarian or vegan bibimbap

History of Bibimbap

Bibim (비빔) translates as “mixed,” and bap (밥) means “cooked rice,” so bibimbap means “mixed rice.” Before eating it you’re supposed to mix everything all together.

Once you mix the vegetables, meat, and rice with a spicy gochujang sauce, you can enjoy a delicious harmony of different flavors and textures with every bite. This wholesome rice bowl is one of my absolute favorite Korean comfort foods!

Speaking of the history of Bibimbap, tracing its roots back to the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty. As I surf on the internet, I just knew the fact that Bibimbap also have variation and its name. the first one is Dolsot Bibimbap. Dolsot Bibimbap is served in a hot stone bowl that crisps the rice, creating a delightful contrast in texture. I’ve tried it in the restaurant and kinda reminds me of a Japanese rice paper we called Pepperlunch.

What we will make today is the second variation which is Jeonju Bibimbap, is a regional variation of the popular Korean dish Bibimbap. It originates from the city of Jeonju in North Jeolla Province, South Korea, which is renowned for its vibrant culinary scene.

This is what Instagram and aesthetic worthy like my picture did hehe!

Better late than never

Bibimbap is probably one of the most well-known and beloved Korean dishes to many people. Even if people don’t know anything about Korea, it’s not too difficult to find people who had bibimbap sometime in their lives. And if you really never tried this before, I feel so sorry but please try at least once in your life, this was so heavenly good!!

This recipe isn’t quick and easy, it takes some time to make. But if you’re really in a rush you can make a great bibimbap with the soybean sprouts, spinach, and carrot (or red bell pepper, or both), and gochujang, toasted sesame oil, and an egg— those items are unskippable! Let’s start!

Ingredients of Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice)

Bibimbap sauce

• Gochujang Korean red chili paste; Gochujang is a staple in Korean cuisine, offering a rich, spicy, and slightly sweet flavor. It serves as the base for the Bibimbap sauce, providing a bold and vibrant kick. If you’re a Muslim, try to find a halal gochujang sauce, if you can’t find it just read the composition with exclude/ 0% of alcohol. You can’t skip this part because it is what makes bibimbap unique taste.
• Sesame Oil; adds a nutty and aromatic essence to the sauce, enhancing the overall depth of flavor.
• Sugar; Sugar balances the heat from the Gochujang and complements the other flavors,
• Garlic minced: Freshly minced garlic infuses the sauce with a pungent and savory taste.
• Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar provides a subtle acidity, brightening the sauce and balancing the richness of other ingredients. It adds a refreshing note to the overall composition.
• Water: It helps meld the flavors together.
• Sesame Seed: Sesame seeds add a delightful crunch and a hint of nuttiness to the sauce.

Meat

• Ground Beef: Ground beef is a protein powerhouse for Bibimbap, providing a savory and hearty element to the dish, however, it’s entirely optional. If you’re vegan, pls skip this part and omit the beef altogether.
• Sesame Oil: adds richness and a distinctive nutty flavor to the  beef
• Garlic minced: Fresh minced garlic infuses the beef with a robust and aromatic essence.
• Soy Sauce: imparts a savory and salty depth to the meat, enhancing its umami qualities.
• Brown Sugar or Honey: Brown sugar or honey adds sweetness to the marinade, balancing the savory and salty components. It also helps caramelize the meat during cooking.

Veggies

There aren’t any rules regarding what kind of vegetables you can use in bibimbap. I’m using the most common ones

• Carrot julienned; should be cut into thin, matchstick-like strips, adding a crisp and vibrant texture to the Bibimbap.
• Spinach;  This leafy green vegetable is a classic ingredient It is blanched briefly to retain its vibrant green color and to achieve a tender texture. After blanching, it’s typically seasoned with salt and a small amount of sesame oil for added flavor
• Shiitake Mushroom sliced; They are sautéed until fully cooked, providing a meaty and umami-rich element to the Bibimbap.
• Been Sprout; In Bibimbap, bean sprouts offer a refreshing and crunchy contrast to other ingredients. Make sure rinsed in cool water to maintain a crisp texture.

Other

• Cooked Rice; Cooked rice serves as the base of the Bibimbap bowl  Ideally, use short-grain rice for a sticky and cohesive texture. If you want to make this Korean rice bowl even healthier, use shortgrain brown rice or mixed-grain rice instead.
• Egg; The egg is usually fried sunny-side-up and placed on top of the assembled Bibimbap. The runny yolk adds a luscious and creamy element, enriching the overall eating experience. this entire dish can be vegan if you omit the egg and beef.
• For the seasoning, I use Salt ¼ tsp for each veggie and  Sesame Oil ½ tsp each for spinach and bean sprouts
• Sesame Seed; Sesame seeds are sprinkled as a garnish on top of the finished Bibimbap.
• Water; to cook the veggies  Water is used in the blanching process for both spinach and bean sprouts.

Method of Making Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice)

Let’s start with marinating the beef, (skip this part if you’re making vegan bibimbap). For the meat, mix ground beef with the rest of the meat ingredients and marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, while the meat is marinating, Let’s make the Bibimbap sauce.

Mix all the bibimbap sauce ingredients including gochujang paste, sesame oil, rice vinegar, salt, brown sugar, garlic, water, and sesame seeds in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.

Vegetable Preparation

Moving on to the vegetables. First, in a pan, heat oil over medium heat, then cook julienned carrot with salt until tender and vibrant. Remove from the pan.

Second, In the same pan, heat oil over medium heat, then cook sliced shiitake mushrooms with salt until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Now, add ¼ cup of water in the same pan, and blanch the spinach until the leaves turn vibrant green. Strain immediately. Transfer it to a mixing bowl, then season it with salt and ½ tsp sesame oil.

Additionally, add ¼ cup of water in the same pan, add bean sprouts, and cook for 3 minutes until they turn translucent. Strain and rinse with cool water until completely cooled. Squeeze the bean sprouts with your hands to remove excess water, then transfer them to a bowl. Season them with the remaining salt and sesame oil.

The last one is cooking a fried egg, skip this part too if you make vegan bibimbap. Using the same pan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry the egg until the egg white is set. Then, add oil to the pan and cook marinated ground beef until thoroughly cooked.

Assembling Bibimbap:

Now, for assemble Bibimbap, put cooked rice into a bowl, then add the meat, assorted vegetables, bibimbap sauce, and egg on top of the rice. Garnish with sesame seeds before serving.

Finally, to eat, mix everything up in a bowl. Enjoy!

This recipe isn’t quick and easy, it takes some time to make. But this all pretty colorful ingredients for an Instagram-worthy dish.

I hope you can try and enjoy this Bibimbap a.k.a Korean Mixed rice as much as I do, and hope this article will help you! and, feel free to ask if you have anything in mind!

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