Bibimbap

Bibimbap

(Recipe from Love and Lemons but I change up the sauce)

Serves 2

Bibimbap is a Korean rice bowl filled with assorted vegetables, gochujang sauce, an egg, and meat. My recipe skips the meat, but you won't miss it one bit. The seasoned veggies and sauce fill this bowl with flavor!

Ingredients

Bowls

• ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1¼ teaspoons sesame oil, divided
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts 
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 4 cups baby spinach
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 cups cooked short-grain white rice
• 2 fried eggs
• 4 ounces sautéed shiitake mushrooms, optional
• 1 recipe Gochujang sauce
• Sesame seeds
• Sea salt
• Kimchi, optional, for serving
• Chopped scallions, optional, for serving

Instructions

• In a small bowl, toss the cucumber slices with ½ teaspoon rice vinegar, ¼ teaspoon sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Drop in the bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
• Heat ½ teaspoon sesame oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until a little bit soft, and then remove from the pan and set aside. Heat ½ teaspoon more sesame oil in the skillet and add the spinach and tamari. Cook, tossing, for 30 seconds or until just wilted. Remove from the skillet and gently squeeze out any excess water from the spinach.
• Assemble the bowls with the rice, cucumber slices, bean sprouts, carrots, and spinach. Top with a fried egg or baked tofu. Add the mushrooms, if using. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle generously with the gochujang sauce. Serve with kimchi and scallions, if desired, and the remaining gochujang sauce on the side.
  
  
  The sauce recipe I used:
  • ▢ 2 Tbsp gochujang
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp sugar
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp water
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • ▢ 1 tsp vinegar
  • ▢ 1 tsp minced garlic