BIBIMBAP (Korean rice with bulgogi and mix ins, for eight)
Buy thinly sliced beef at Korean markets, or ask your butcher to cut it for you.
For the bulgogi:
½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup finely grated Asian pear with juices
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger
1 pound thinly sliced (1/8 inch thick) boneless beef rib eye steak or short ribs
For the crisp rice and assembly:
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
8 cups steamed sushi rice or mixed grain rice (from 2-1/2 cups dry rice – recipe follows)
bibimbap mix ins (sesame pepper bean sprouts, sesame carrots, garlicky spinach, soy glazed shiitake mushrooms, sauteed zucchini, scallion slaw, wakame, and gochujang date sauce, recipes follow)
8 fried eggs
kimchi
1. For the bulgogi: Whisk first six ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
2. For crisp rice and assembly: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add rice and pat out in an even layer. Cook, rotating skillet for even browning (do not stir) until rice is golden and crisp on bottom, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat ½ tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add one quarter of the beef and cook, turning once, until cooked through and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat in 3 batches with remaining oil and beef.
4. Divide rice among bowls. Top with beef, mix ins and eggs. Serve kimchi alongside.
from Kay Chun, Bon Appetit Magazine, January, 2013
STEAMED JAPANESE RICE (about 5 cups cooked)
2 cups Japanese short grain or haiga rice (sushi rice)
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1. Place rice in a large saucepan, add water to cover, and swirl rice with your hand (water will become cloudy). Drain through a fine mesh sieve and return rice to saucepan. Repeat process until water is clear when mixed with rice (3 to 4 times). Drain rice a final time and cover with a kitchen towel; let rest 15 minutes (this will help the grains hydrate evenly).
2. Return rice to same saucepan and add 2 cups water. Partially cover pot and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover and reduce heat. Simmer until water is mostly absorbed and rice is very fragrant and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a large spoon, re-cover pot, and let sit 5 minutes before serving.
JAPANESE SUSHI RICE
SESAME PEPPER BEAN SPROUTS (for eight)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl
6 cups mung bean sprouts (about 12 ounces)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder)
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1. Mix 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cook 6 cups mung bean sprouts (about 12 ounces) in a large pot of boiling salted water until soft but not mushy, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil and toss to coat. Season with sesame mixture and gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder). Serve remaining sesame mixture with bibimbap.
GOCHUGARU
SESAME CARROTS (for eight)
4 medium carrots
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
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1.Peel and cut 4 medium carrots into long matchstick pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
GARLICKY SPINACH (for eight)
two 10 ounce bags fresh spinach (not baby)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 chopped garlic cloves
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
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1.Cook two 10 ounce bags fresh spinach (not baby) in a large pot of boiling salted water just until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, then transfer to a bowl of ice water; let cool. Drain and squeeze out excess moisture.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add spinach, 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar. Stir to combine and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
SOY GLAZED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS (for eight)
3 cups dried shiitake mushrooms (about 3 ounces)
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar
½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
freshly ground black pepper
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1.Bring 3 cups dried shiitake mushrooms (about 3 ounces), 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened and all liquid is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Let mushrooms cool slightly, then thinly slice. Transfer to a small bowl, add ½ teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
SAUTEED ZUCCHINI (for eight)
1 medium zucchini
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder)
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1.Cut 1 medium zucchini into matchstick-size pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder).
SCALLION SLAW (for eight)
2 bunches scallions
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
kosher salt
freshy ground black pepper
gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder)
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1.Cut 2 bunches scallions into 3 inch lengths, then thinly slice lengthwise. Place in a bowl of ice water (to crisp). Just before serving, drain well, pat dry and transfer to another bowl. Add 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil and toss to coat. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder).
WAKAME (for eight)
1 ounce wakame (dried seaweed)
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1.Place 1 ounce wakame (dried seaweed) in a medium bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain seaweed, squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop.
WAKAME
GOCHUJANG DATE SAUCE (for eight)
5 pitted Medjool dates
1 cup gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
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1.Place 5 pitted Medjool dates in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and let sit until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer dates to a food processor. Add 1 cup gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) and 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil. Puree until smooth.
GOCHUJANG
from Kay Chun, Bon Appetit Magazine, January, 2013