Bibimbap by The Little Wren @littlewrendiary

Bibimbap translates to “mixed rice”. Unlike your buddha bowls, you get to elbow grease and grind all the ingredients together with your spoon to make delicious silky rice. The runny egg and the medium grain rice holds everything together.

What to buy: The Little Wren Bibimbap Bundle

asianstaples.com.au ingredients used: sesame seeds, gochujang, seasoned laver, mirin, shiitake, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

• Sesame oil 
• 2 medium zucchinis 
• 2 carrots 
• Dried shiitake mushrooms 
• 1 bunch English spinach 

Instant bulgogi mince:

• 500g minced beef (replace with tofu for vegetarian option) 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 2 TBS soy sauce 
• 2 TBS mirin 
• 1 TBS brown sugar 

Sauce: 

• 2 TBS gochujang (replace with sriracha for gluten free option) 
• 2 TBS mirin 
• 2 TBS rice vinegar 

Toppings

• 4 cups short grain rice, steamed 
• Fried egg 
• Roasted seaweed
• Roasted sesame seeds 
• Kimchi 

 

Method:

Prepare your vegetables: 

1. Soak shiitake mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Strain and set aside. 
2. Half your zucchini length ways and slice into 3mm wide semi circles. Place in a small bowl with a generous sprinkling of salt. Toss to coat and set aside for 15 minutes.  
3. Julienne the carrots (cut in long thin strips that resemble matchsticks) and set aside.  Place in a small bowl with a generous sprinkling of salt. Toss to coat and set aside for 15 minutes.  
4. Place soaked shiitakes in a clean tea towel and squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside. 
5. Rinse out the salt from the zuchinnis, place in a tea towel and squeeze out the excess moisture. Set aside. Repeat for carrots and set aside. 
6. Cut English Spinach leaves into bite size pieces.
7. Add a drizzle of sesame oil to a frying pan and gentle sautee each of your vegetables, one at a time, removing from heat and setting aside in separate bowls once softened. 
8. Repeat until all the vegetables have been cooked. 

Instant Bulgogi Beef (tofu): 

1. Heat 2tbs vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Saute garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. 
3. Add mince (or tofu) to the pan and break up with spoon. 
4. Add the soy sauce, mirin and brown sugar to pan and continue to cook till mince (tofu) has browned and sauce has reduced.

Sauce

1. In a small bowl combine gochujang, mirin and rice vinegar and mix well. 

Assembly: 

1. Shape your steamed rice into a small done and place in a medium bowl. 
2. Add your cooked vegetables around the rice, along with the bulgogi beef and kimchi. 
3. Top with fried egg, roasted sesame seeds and hand torn roasted seaweed.
4. Drizzle over sauce, mix everything together and enjoy.