Bibimbap

Cuisine: Korean

Cook Time: 30 - 40 mins

Serves: 4

A wholesome and healthy meal ideal for a Sunday afternoon. Deep into Korean traditions, Bibimbap will make its way to your heart and soul and keep your stomach beyond full. The variety of vegetables, rice mixed with rich Korean spices are a meal to remember. Here's how to make Bibimbap!

1 cucumber
Two carrots
One piece of ginger
A few garlic cloves
Olive oil
2 cups of cooked white/brown rice
Korean hot pepper paste
Lime
A bunch of spinach

Dive in the traditional delicacy of Korea!

Chop the cucumber, ginger, and carrots into thin strides. Add some olive oil to the saucepan. Add the cucumber and carrots to it. Gradually, as the vegetables soften, add the garlic cloves and strands of ginger. Make sure there is a bit of gravy, and it doesn't dry off.
Add the Korean hot pepper paste, and it begins to simmer. Keep stirring till you sense the aroma.
Keep two cooked cups of rice ready. Add the spinach, a bit of Korean paste, and garlic as you cook the rice. While cooking the rice, ensure that it doesn't dry up.
Place the rice in a bowl. Put the veggies around and over it. Lay the spinach in a circular shape around the veggies and squeeze some lime at the end.

Chef Tip: Be careful that you don't overcook the rice. The rise has to be moist. Ensure that the Korean hot pepper paste is mixed well in the rice and the vegetables.

You're bound to fall in love with this delightful Bibimbap meal and crave it every Sunday afternoon. Try this recipe out at a family dinner and embark on the joy of this meal.

Quick Bites

Fun Fact

• Legend goes that the origin of bibimbap is owed to “Donghak uprising theory". When Donghak uprising broke out in the Jeolla provinces in 1894, the Donghak peasants were forced to mix their rice with side dishes because they didn't have enough plates or bowls. And that’s how the world got to savour this unique culinary miracle!

Historical Fact

• The origin of the name Bibimbap comes from its hanja or Chinese-based records and originally appeared in the end of the 16th century.

• The term “bibim’ means mixing various ingredients, while the “bap” noun refers to rice. Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) or kimchi (traditional fermented vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste), soy sauce, or doenjang (a fermented soybean paste).

Nutrition Fact

• A single serving consists of 486 calories, 14g of fat, 2.4g of saturated fat, 617mg of sodium, 75g of carbohydrates, 10.5g of dietary fiber, and 18g of protein.

• Bibimbap’s rainbow hues will help you do just that. For starters, the dish often contains a sizable portion of Vitamin A-rich carrots, which promote healthy eyes, skin, bones, and digestive function. It also typically contains eggs, which experts have dubbed a “super-food” because of its protein-rich and chock full of Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin E.