Bibimbap

Ingredients

• 7 ozriceshort-grain, glutinous or jasmine rice; freshly cooked as the base
• 8¾ ozBeefminced or cut into thin strips
• 5¼ ozCarrotjulienned or grated, briefly fried
• 7 ozSpinachblanched or wilted, squeezed dry
• 5¼ ozBean sproutsbriefly blanched or stir-fried, salted
• 5¼ ozshiitake mushroomssliced or strips, stir-fried; button mushrooms possible
• 3½ ozZucchinicut into strips, briefly fried
• 2Eggfried sunny side up, yolk soft, one per bowl
• 2 tbspgochujangKorean chilli paste, base of the sauce
• 3 tbspSesame oilfor frying and for seasoning
• 1 tbspSoy saucefor the marinade and the vegetables
• 2 clovesGarlicfinely chopped, for marinade and sauce
• 1 tspSugarbrown, for marinade and sauce
• 1 tbspSesame seedstoasted, for sprinkling
• 2Spring onionsliced into rings, for garnish
• Saltfor rice, vegetables and meat
• 3⅓ tbspApple juicesoftens and extends the sauce or marinade; mirin as substitute (optional)
• 5¼ ozCucumberthinly sliced or diced, raw as a fresh topping (optional)
• Kimchiserved alongside (optional)

Method

1. Rinse and cook the riceRinse the rice until the water runs clear, then cook it in a pot or rice cooker and keep it warm.
2. Marinate the beefCut the beef into thin strips, or have the mince ready. Marinate the strips with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and chopped garlic for at least 30 minutes.
3. Cut the vegetables and mushroomsCut the carrot and zucchini into fine strips and the shiitake mushrooms into slices or strips; finely chop the remaining garlic.
4. Blanch spinach and bean sproutsBlanch the spinach briefly, rinse it under cold water, squeeze it out well and season with sesame oil and salt. Blanch the bean sprouts the same way and salt them.
5. Fry the vegetables separatelyFry the carrot, zucchini and mushrooms separately in sesame oil for 1–2 minutes each, season lightly with salt and set each aside on its own.
6. Brown the beefBrown the beef in the same pan until golden and set it aside as well.
7. Make the gochujang sauceFor the sauce, stir the gochujang together with sugar, garlic, sesame oil and a splash of liquid — apple juice, for instance — or let it bubble down briefly, then fold in the toasted sesame seeds.
8. Fry the eggsFry the eggs sunny side up, keeping the yolks soft.
9. Assemble the bowls and mixDivide the warm rice between two bowls, arrange the vegetables and beef in separate piles on top, set the egg in the middle and finish with the sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds and spring onion rings. Mix everything thoroughly before eating.

Tips and variations

With the beef you have a choice: marinated ribeye in thin strips, or plain salted beef mince — and without meat, fried tofu or an all-vegetable spread of namul does the job. For extra crunch, fry the rice in vegetable oil until crisp before you build the bowls. No gochujang? A stand-in sauce of sambal oelek, rice vinegar, honey and tomato paste works, and a little ketchup takes the edge off the heat. Fresh toppings such as cucumber slices marinated in rice vinegar or lettuce leaves add contrast, and coriander can stand in for the spring onion. For something cold and completely different, there's Al Bap with fish roe, tuna, surimi, peppers, perilla leaves and radish sprouts, with a sauce made with vinegar and plum extract. Serve kimchi on the side — it simply belongs there.