Bulgogi Bibimbap (Beef with vegetables, rice and egg)

Bibimbap, a Korean dish with meat and vegetables arranged in a bowl, reminds me of a Nicoise salad. Each component is seasoned separately and artfully put on a plate.

I made Bulgogi Bibimbap, or bibimbap with Korean marinated beef, for the second course of my Menu Project that's due in January. The project is a requirement for Level 5 in the Classic Culinary Arts Program at The French Culinary Institute. (I only have one more level to go before I graduate in March.)

Bibimbap is normally served in super hot earthen bowls, like this photo shows here. It's a pretty filling meal. I decided to downsize the dish since I created a six-course meal.

The full menu includes:

Banchan of stir-fried anchovies, seasoned cucumbers and cabbage kimchi
Bulgogi Bibimbap
Porgie in Kimchi Bacon Broth
Kalbi Jjim, Korean short rib stew
Duck stuffed with sweet rice and jujubes
Cinnamon tea with sliced Fuyu persimmons

Bibimbap is usually served with sesame oil and kochujang, or Korean red pepper paste that's been seasoned with sesame oil and sugar.

The best part of eating bibimbap is messing it up.

Bulgogi Bibimbap

Serves 4

For the bulgogi, or Korean marinated beef:

1 pound chuck beef

Marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup sugar

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and minced

Vegetable components:

2 carrots or 10.5 ounces, peeled, julienne

10.5 ounces Daikon radish, peeled, julienne

7 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced, stems removed

5 ounces radish sprouts

vegetable oil

4 cups short-grain rice

6 cups water

4 large eggs

salt

freshly ground pepper

Served on the side:

sesame oil to taste

Seasoned kochujang

5 tablespoons kochujang or Korean red pepper paste

sesame oil to taste

sugar to taste

Variations: You can use pork or fish. You could also add zucchini, bean sprouts, and spinach.

Rinse rice three times. Make rice in a rice cooker. If cooking on the stovetop, combine rice and water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover. Simmer for about 15-17 minutes. Take off heat. Let sit for about five minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

Cut the beef into thin slices. Mix together soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger. Marinate the beef for at least 45 minutes or for about 3 hours. Set aside and make the other components.

Season julienned Daikon radish with salt. Refrigerate the Daikon and let the Daikon disgorge in a strainer.

For the carrots, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to a saute pan. Arrange the julienned carrots in a single layer in the pan. Add water until it reaches halfway up the carrots. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the carrots. Cover and cook until carrots are tender. Set aside.

Saute mushrooms in vegetable oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Clean radish sprouts. Cut off roots and seeds.

Cook the marinated beef in a saute pan. Cut the beef into thin strips. Set aside.

Fry eggs sunny-side up. Season with salt and pepper. Take a 3-inch mold and cut a circle around the yolk (optional).

To serve, spoon and press equal portions of rice in shallow bowls. Arrange beef, carrots, Daikon radish, radish sprouts and shiitake mushrooms over the rice like sunrays, repeating twice so that one side of bibimbap mirrors the other. Place one egg in the center of each bowl.

To season the kochujang, add sesame oil and sugar to taste until the mixture reaches a balance of hot and sweet that you like.

Serve bibimbap with sesame oil and the kochujang sauce on the side. To eat, mix everything together. 

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