Bibimbap (Korean Beef and Vegetables)

Serves 4

2 cups cooked rice

1 cup bean sprouts

a bunch of spinach

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup shredded daikon radish (called lobot as well)

8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft and thinly sliced

4 oz sirloin beef, thinly sliced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 egg, fried for topping (optional)

toasted sesame seeds

Korean chili sauce (you can buy this or make it from scratch, see below for recipe)

Mixture A                                    Mixture B

1/2 tsp sesame oil                       1/2 tsp sesame oil 

1/4 tsp salt                                 1/2 tsp salt

                                                  1/2 tsp sesame seeds 

Mixture C                                    Mixture D

1 tbsp rice vinegar                        3 tbsp Korean soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar                                1 tsp sesame oil

                                                  3 tbsp sugar

                                                  1 cup water

Mixture E

1 tsp Korean soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cornstarch

dash black pepper

Add bean sprouts to small pot with enough water to cover sprouts and 1/2 tsp salt. Boil for 5 minutes, drain and then mix with mixture A.

Cook spinach in boiling water for 2 minutes then blanch in cold water, squeezing out excess water. Combine spinach with mixture B.

Sprinkle carrots with 1/4 tsp salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Lightly squeeze out water. Do the same with the daikon radish and mix with mixture C

Mix mushrooms and mixture D in a saucepan and simmer until all the liquid is gone.

Mix beef with mixture E and let stand for 15 minutes. Heat oil, then add beef and stir-fry until colour changes. Add garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

In a large skillet, saute rice until turns a little brown and crispy. This isn't necessary, but is nice. Then place rice in serving bowls.  Arrange all the vegetables and beef on top of the rice and add egg. Sprinkle with sesame seed.  To eat, mix everything together and serve it with a bit of sesame oil and Korean red chili sauce but be VERY careful with sauce, it's extremely hot even in small amounts.

Korean Red Chili Sauce

6 tbsp miso

4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup water

4 tbsp vinegar

3-6 tbsp red Korean chili powder (available at T&T)

Put water and sugar in a sauce pan, add miso and chili powder and mix well. Heat over low heat, stirring to avoid sticking and burning. Cook for a few minutes, add salt and stir, then remove from heat.

When cooling down, add vinegar and mix well. When paste is completely cook, put it in a jar for use.  You can freeze it indefinitely or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.