Best Bibimbap Korean Vegetarian Noodles Recipes

BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Cook the rice, without soaking and using a little less water than the amount you normally use. The rice for bibimbap should be a little drier than usual for best results.
• Beef: Cut into thin 2-inch long strips. Mix in 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of rice wine, 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 sesame seeds and a pinch of pepper. Marinate for 20 minutes. Sauté in a skillet for 2-3 minutes over high heat.
• Bean sprouts: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the bean sprouts and briefly blanch, about 1 minute, flipping over once. Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain again. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds, and salt (about 1/2 teaspoon).
• Spinach: Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water only until wilted, about 40 seconds. Drain quickly and shock in cold water. Squeeze out water. Cut into 3-inch lengths. Toss with 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds and salt (about 1/2 teaspoon).
• Cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise. Generously sprinkle salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) over sliced cucumbers and set aside for 10 - 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid. Toss with 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds.
• Mushrooms and carrots: Thinly slice the mushrooms and carrots. Sauté each vegetable in a lightly oiled skillet for 1 - 2 minutes over medium-high heat, sprinkling with salt (about 1/4 teaspoon).
• Kongnamul (Soybean sprouts): Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soy beansprouts and boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain quickly and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain again. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds, and salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) to taste.
• Musaengchae (spicy radish salad): Cut 10 ounces of Korean radish (mu) into matchsticks. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped scallion, 1 tablespoon of gochugaru, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste), 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Mix everything well.
• Fry the eggs sunny side up or to your preference.
• Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Place a serving of rice in a big bowl. Nicely arrange a small amount of each prepared vegetable and beef over the rice. Drizzle a little sesame oil over. Top with an optional fried egg and serve with the sauce.
• For dolsot bibimbap: Lightly oil a stone or earthenware bowl with a teaspoon of sesame oil over medium heat. Add a serving of cooked rice and arrange the toppings on top. Cook for several minutes until the rice sizzles.

VEGETARIAN BIBIMBAP

Steps:

• Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir carrot and zucchini in the hot oil until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Cook and stir until carrots are tender, about 5 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and set vegetables aside.
• Stir cooked rice, green onions, soy sauce, and black pepper in the same skillet until the rice is hot. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt butter and gently fry eggs, turning once, until the yolks are still slightly runny but the egg whites are firm, about 3 minutes per egg.
• To serve, divide hot cooked rice mixture between 3 serving bowls and top each bowl with 1/3 of the vegetable mixture and a fried egg. Serve sweet red chili sauce on the side for mixing into bibimbap.

BIBIMBAP (KOREAN RICE WITH MIXED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Stir cucumber pieces with 1/4 cup gochujang paste in a bowl; set aside.
• Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a large nonstick skillet and stir in spinach; cook until spinach is bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible; set spinach aside in a bowl and stir soy sauce into spinach.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet and cook and stir carrots until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in cucumber pieces with gochujang paste; sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and set the mixture aside in a bowl.
• Brown beef in a clean nonstick skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, and set aside. In a separate nonstick skillet, heat 1 more teaspoon olive oil over medium-low heat and fry the eggs just on one side until yolks are runny but whites are firm, 2 to 4 minutes each.
• To assemble the dish, divide cooked rice into 4 large serving bowls; top with spinach mixture, a few pieces of beef, and cucumber mixture. Place 1 egg atop each serving. Drizzle each bowl with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a small amount of gochujang paste if desired.

BIBIMBAP (KOREAN VEGETARIAN NOODLES)

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk gochujang, lemon-lime soda, miso, corn syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, vinegar and sesame seeds until smooth. Set aside.
• Bring a 4-qt saucepan of water to a boil and add sprouts. Cook until crisp tender (30 seconds). Transfer to a bowl of ice water, drain and dry with paper towels. Set aside.
• Repeat procedure with spinach (squeeze out as much liquid as possible when draining). When finished, pour boiling water into a bowl and add mushrooms. Let soften for 30 minutes. Drain, remove stems, and slice 1/4 inch thick. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp canola oil and 1/2 tsp sesame oil in a 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp ginger and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until hot (2 minutes). Transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
• Repeat procedure, using same amounts of canola oil, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger with the gosari, squash, carrot and radish. Season each with salt and pepper. Set each aside in separate bowls and add 1/4 tsp sesame seeds to radishes.
• Add 1 1/2 tsp garlic, 1/4 tsp sesame oil, salt, and pepper each to sprouts and spinach and stir well.
• Heat remaining canola oil in skillet and add tofu. Cook, turning once, until browned (4-6 minutes). Transfer to a plate and cut each in half.
• When ready to serve, place 1 cup rice each in center of 4 bowls, drizzle a little sesame oil over each mound of rice and top each with a fried egg. Place 1/4 of mushrooms in a mound in each bowl over the rice.
• Working clockwise, arrange 1/4 each squash, carrot, radish, spinach, sprouts, gosari, chicory, and lettuce. Place tofu on lettuces and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with sauce on the side.
• Each diner should stir their bibimbap vigorously before eating. Bibimbap is considered Korean therapy food which makes sense given that the notion of food as medicine is a fundamental one in Korean cooking and the stirring helps to relieve stress.