Bibimbap inspired bowl

inspired by Seonkyoung Longest

Bibimbap is a bowl rich in flavour, vegetables, protein, and of course, kimchi. 

I was first introduced to a bibimbap inspired breakfast at the Portland restaurant Tasty n’ Alder. I was instantly hooked. I loved the spicy and tart flavours from the kimchi, crispy rice and the mix of vegetables in this perfectly balanced bowl. It introduced me to the world of Korean cuisine: the variety of side dishes, the flavours of ginger, chili and sesame, and the delights of kimchi. 

The bibimbap is traditionally a dish composed of a mixture of vegetables, meat, kimchi and a fried egg. The dish is served in a hot stone bowl called a dolsot, which leaves the rice crispy (and delicious). We made a few variations to the original recipe: we opted for a marinated tofu in replacement of the meat, and we used a cast iron pan in replacement of the dolsot.  The gochujang sauce (hot pepper paste) recipe is modified from Seonkyoung Longest’s recipe. We love the heat and flavour this sauce adds. Seonkyoung has some delicious Korean recipes – check out her blog for more inspiration. 

You can have fun using whichever vegetables you prefer. We included a ginger-pickled carrot, which is a recipe modified from Sarah Britton’s Naturally Nourished cookbook.  Here is our take on this bowl. Enjoy! 

—Sarah & Chelsea 

Serves 4

Directions for the gochujang sauce (hot pepper)

1. 
Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth
2. Refrigerate until used.

Directions for quick pickled carrots  

1. Scrub the carrots well. Using a grater, grate the carrots into thin slices. Place the grated carrot into a 1-litre glass jar. 

2. Combine vinegar, water, honey, salt and ginger. Mix well. Pour the brine over the carrots, ensuring that they are completely submerged. You can add water as needed to submerge the carrots. Seal the jar and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 24 hours before consuming.

3. The carrots will keep in the fridge up to 3 weeks.

Directions for the tofu

1. 
Cut the tofu into cubes (approximately 2cm width)

2. Mix the soy sauce, red chili paste and apple cider vinegar in a  medium-sized bowl

3. Marinate the tofu for 30 min – 2 hours, mixing occasionally to ensure that all the tofu pieces are coated.
4. Fry over medium heat in a little coconut oil, until the tofu is slightly browned. 


Vegetables

1. Sauté spinach in sesame oil with the salt. Once fully wilted, add the toasted sesame seeds.
2. Grate the cucumber
.
3. Chop the mushrooms and sauté in a little olive oil.

Eggs

1. Sauté the eggs to your desired consistency.

Creating the Bowl

1. Heat 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil in a cast iron pan. Heat until the oil is hot, but before it begins to smoke.
2. Pour some rice onto the bottom of the cast iron pan and pack down lightly. Arrange the vegetables and kimchi evenly around the edge of the pan, and tofu in the middle. Once the rice begins to sizzle, remove the cast iron pan from the stove, and place it on a hot pad.
3. Add the egg to the center of the bowl. Drizzle the Gochujang sauce overtop. Mix together and enjoy!

Further ideas and modifications

• 
You can try using different seasonal vegetables (i.e. kale in replacement for spinach). 

• You can use brown rice instead of white rice.

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