Korea · Main · Medium
Bibimbap
Korean rice bowl with seasoned vegetables, beef, fried egg and gochujang
Warm short-grain rice topped with separately seasoned namul vegetables, soy-marinated beef and a fried egg, mixed at the table with a sweet-hot gochujang sauce. Each vegetable is cooked on its own so it keeps its colour, texture and seasoning.
- Energy
- 830 kcalper serving
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Protein
- 37 g
How was it?
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan (2 l) with a tight lid
- Large pot (3 l) for blanching
- Frying pan (26 cm), non-stick if possible
- Colander and a bowl of cold water
- Mixing bowls, one per vegetable
- 4 wide serving bowls (or dolsot stone bowls)
Before you start
- Rinse the rice in cold water 3–4 times until the water runs almost clear, then soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes and drain well.
- Put the beef in the freezer for 20 minutes so it slices thinly, then slice it across the grain.
- Cut the carrot and courgette into matchsticks; slice the shiitake caps.
- Grate the garlic, slice the spring onions and rinse the soybean sprouts, picking out any brown tails or loose hulls.
Method
-
Cook the rice
320 g short-grain rice380 ml waterPut the drained rice and the water in the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 13 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes more.
Done when When you lift the lid, the water is gone, small steam holes dot the surface and the grains are plump and glossy.
Tip Do not lift the lid while it cooks: the rice steams as much as it boils.
-
Marinate the beef
250 g beef sirloin or ribeye2 tbsp soy sauce20 g sugar5 cloves garlic1 pinch black pepper3 tbsp toasted sesame oilMix the beef with the soy sauce, half of the sugar, half of the garlic, the pepper and a third of the sesame oil. Leave it at room temperature while you prepare the vegetables, up to 30 minutes.
Done when The strips are evenly coated and darker, and the sugar has dissolved into the marinade.
-
Blanch the spinach
2 l water for blanching300 g spinachBring the blanching water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds, then lift it out into the cold water. Squeeze it firmly in your hands and cut it into 5 cm lengths.
Done when The spinach is bright green, just wilted, and no more water drips when you squeeze it.
Tip Keep the water boiling: the sprouts cook in it next.
-
Season the spinach
300 g spinach5 cloves garlic3 g fine salt3 tbsp toasted sesame oil15 g toasted sesame seedsToss the spinach with half of the remaining garlic, a pinch of the salt, a little of the sesame oil and a few sesame seeds. Loosen the clumps with your fingers.
Done when The strands separate easily and smell of sesame and raw garlic.
-
Cook the soybean sprouts
2 l water for blanching200 g soybean sprouts (kongnamul)5 cloves garlic3 g fine salt3 tbsp toasted sesame oilAdd the sprouts to the boiling water, cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Drain, let them steam dry for a minute, then toss with the last of the garlic, a pinch of the salt and a little of the sesame oil.
Done when The yellow heads are tender but the stems still snap, and there is no raw, beany smell.
Tip Keep the lid on for the whole cooking time; opening it early can leave a grassy taste.
-
Sauté the carrot
150 g carrot2 tbsp sunflower oil3 g fine saltHeat a little of the sunflower oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the carrot with a pinch of the salt for 1–2 minutes and tip it into a bowl.
Done when The carrot is brighter orange and bends slightly but still has bite.
-
Sauté the courgette
200 g courgette2 tbsp sunflower oil3 g fine saltAdd a little more sunflower oil to the same pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the courgette with a pinch of the salt for 2 minutes and tip it into a bowl.
Done when The courgette is just translucent at the edges and still holds its shape, not soft or watery.
-
Sauté the shiitake
150 g fresh shiitake mushrooms2 tbsp sunflower oil3 tbsp toasted sesame oilAdd a little more sunflower oil and the shiitake to the pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, then toss with a few drops of the sesame oil and tip into a bowl.
Done when The mushrooms are browned at the edges, have shrunk by about a third and smell savoury.
-
Stir-fry the beef
250 g beef sirloin or ribeyeTurn the heat to high. Add the beef with its marinade, spread it out and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
Done when No pink remains, the strips are glossy and caramelised at the edges and the pan sizzles instead of bubbling.
Tip If your pan is small, cook the beef in two batches so it fries instead of stewing.
-
Mix the sauce
60 g gochujang1 tbsp rice vinegar20 g sugar3 tbsp toasted sesame oil15 g toasted sesame seedsStir together the gochujang, the rice vinegar, the rest of the sugar, a third of the sesame oil and the remaining sesame seeds (keep a pinch for the bowls). Add 1–2 tablespoons of water if it is too thick to drizzle.
Done when The sauce is smooth, glossy and falls slowly from the spoon in a thick ribbon.
-
Fry the eggs
4 eggs2 tbsp sunflower oilWipe the pan, add the last of the sunflower oil and set it over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and fry for about 3 minutes without turning.
Done when The whites are fully set with crisp, lacy edges and the yolks are still soft and wobble when you shake the pan.
Tip For children, pregnant women or older people, cover the pan for the last minute so the yolks set firm.
-
Assemble the bowls
320 g short-grain rice300 g spinach200 g soybean sprouts (kongnamul)150 g carrot200 g courgette150 g fresh shiitake mushrooms250 g beef sirloin or ribeye4 eggs2 spring onions15 g toasted sesame seedsDivide the warm rice between the bowls. Arrange the spinach, sprouts, carrot, courgette, shiitake and beef in separate sections around the edge, put an egg in the centre and scatter with spring onion and the reserved sesame seeds.
Done when Each bowl shows a ring of distinct colours with no rice visible, and the yolk sits in the middle.
-
Serve and mix
60 g gochujangServe with the gochujang sauce on the side. Each person adds sauce to taste, breaks the yolk and mixes everything thoroughly with a spoon before eating.
Done when When mixed, every grain of rice is coated orange-red and the yolk has disappeared into the sauce.
Common mistakes
The vegetables are watery and the bowl tastes bland.
Fix Squeeze the spinach hard and let the sprouts steam dry before seasoning. Season each vegetable on its own, tasting as you go.
The rice is mushy or sticks into a paste when mixed.
Fix Rinse the rice until the water is almost clear and do not add extra water. Rest it covered for the full 10 minutes.
The beef is grey and tough.
Fix Slice it paper-thin across the grain and stir-fry over high heat in batches so it sears quickly.
The courgette and carrot turn soft and dull.
Fix Cook them separately and briefly over medium-high heat; they keep cooking in the bowl.
Serving
Serve as soon as the eggs are done, with the sauce in a small bowl and a dish of kimchi on the side. For dolsot bibimbap, oil hot stone bowls with sesame oil, add the rice and toppings and heat over medium for 4–5 minutes until the rice crackles and forms a golden crust.
Storage and reheating
Store the rice, each vegetable and the beef separately in covered containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the rice and beef until steaming hot; the vegetables can be eaten cold or warmed briefly. Fry the eggs fresh.
Make ahead
The vegetables and the sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept covered in the fridge; bring the vegetables to room temperature before serving. Cook the rice, beef and eggs just before eating.
Variations
Dolsot bibimbap
Assemble in hot stone bowls brushed with sesame oil and heat over medium for 4–5 minutes until the bottom layer of rice is crisp and golden. Use a raw yolk on top instead of a fried egg only if your eggs are very fresh and pasteurised.
With extra namul
Add 100 g of rehydrated bracken (gosari) or bellflower root (doraji), stir-fried for 3 minutes with a little soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil.
Vegetarian
Leave out the beef and double the shiitake, stir-frying them with the beef marinade over high heat until glazed. Add pan-fried firm tofu slices for protein.
