Bibimbap - Korean Fried Rice

Step 1

If you already have some leftover rice, jump to the next section

Step 2

Put 250 gram of rice and 375 gram of water into a pot with a good pinch of salt.

Step 3

Turn the up to full power until the water boils, then put a lid on and turn down to low and let it simmer for 12 minutes.

Step 4

Take the pot off the heat and let it rest for 12 minutes with the lid on. Then fluff the rice using a fork to separate the rice grains.

Step 5

Cut the cucumber into slices. Place in a strainer over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Leave to rest for 15 minutes

Step 6

Cut the zucchini into slices. Place in a strainer over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Leave to rest for 15 minutes

Step 7

Finely chop the spring onion and put in a small bowl

Step 8

Peel four cloves of garlic and crush the into a small bowl

Step 9

Cut the carrots into match sticks.

Step 10

Toast the sesame seeds on a dry roasting pan on medium heat. Toast until they are light brown and smell nutty. Put them in small bowl to cool off

Step 11

Wring excess water out of the cucumbers add to a bowl

Step 12

Mix the cucumbers with one teaspoon chopped spring onion, half a teaspoon of crushed garlic, one teaspoon of sesame oil and tone teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds

Step 13

Wring excess water out of the zucchini add to a bowl

Step 14

Mix the zucchini with one teaspoon chopped spring onion, half a teaspoon of crushed garlic, one teaspoon of sesame oil and one teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds

Step 15

Make a marinade from soy sauce, sesame seed oil, sugar and crushed garlic

Step 16

Cut the meat into fine strips and add to a ziplock bag

Step 17

Pour the marinade over, seal the bag and distribute the marinade well by massaging the bag

Step 18

Put the bag in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but longer is better

Step 19

In a small bowl, combine gochujang, sesame oil, water, sugar, rice vinegar, crushed garlic and one tablespoon of sesame seeds. Mix to combine

Step 20

Leave the sauce on the kitchen counter until you are ready to serve

Step 21

Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly

Step 22

Put water in a pot, add one teaspoon of salt and heat to a rolling boil

Step 23

Blanch the spinach for thirty seconds. Get the leaves out using a spider and turn off the heat. You'll need the water for the bean sprouts in the next section, so don't dump it

Step 24

Wring the spinach leaves to get rid of excess water and put in a bowl

Step 25

Add one teaspoon chopped spring onion, half a teaspoon of crushed garlic and one teaspoon of toasted sesame seed and mix in using your hand

Step 26

Heat the water again. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the bean sprots and leave to boil for one to two minutes, depending on how much bite you'd like them to have

Step 27

Drain the water and rinse them under running water

Step 28

Shake to remove excess water and put a bowl

Step 29

Add one teaspoon of chopped spring onion, half a teaspoon of crushed garlic, a quater teaspoon of fine sea salt, one teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds and mix with your hand

Step 30

Fry the carrots in a hot pan in a bit of oil for two to three minutes. Add to a bowl and season with salt

Step 31

If you use shitake mushrooms, cut of the stems since they don't taste good. Cut into fine slices

Step 32

Sauté the mushrooms on the same pan, adding oil if needed. About two to three minutes

Step 33

Add to a bowl and season with salt

Step 34

Sauté the zucchini in the same pan for one to two minutes and add to a bowl

Step 35

Fry the meat in a scorching hot frying pan. Get a good crust on it and make sure it is a little less done than the way you like it. It is going to go in the oven later.

Step 36

When you assemble the dish you can use a korean dolsot bowl or a really good frying pan that can go in the oven

Step 37

Heat your oven to the maximum setting. Mine can go to 300°C (about 572°F), but just go as warm as possible.. If you have a pizza stone or baking steel, add that to the oven, as it retains heat. If you use a dolsot bowl, warm it with the oven or it might crack

Step 38

If you use a frying pan you can heat it with the oven or on the stove

Step 39

Take the bowl or frying pan out of the oven and put it on something that can withstand the heat. Turn the heat down to 260°C/500°F.

Step 40

Add some sesame oil to the bottom of the bowl. Then the rice. Stamp it using a large wooden spoon. The rice should sizzle when you put them in. We want those brown and toasted bits of rice in the dish

Step 41

Arrange the vegetables and meat on top of the rice

Step 42

Crack the eggs on top of the dish

Step 43

Put in the bowl back in the oven and prepare until the eggs are just how you like them. I like a runny yolk. It took about five minutes until mine was done. It's very oven dependant, so just watch it every minute or so.

Step 44

Take out of the oven, pour in some soy sauce in and mix it with two forks

Step 45

Eat the dish while it is piping hot with extra toasted sesame seeds, kimchi and a good dollop of bibimbap sauce

Step 46

I hope it tastes great!