Easy Bibimbap Recipe

I love all things Korean, especially their food, K-pop, and K-drama. I haven't been to Korea before (just some passing experiences with Korean fusion restaurants in Manila) but if I could take only one recipe with me, it would be this: bibimbap, my ultimate comfort food! 

The taste of freedom 

Bibimbap is a piping hot mixture of rice with meat and assorted vegetables, served with kimchi or bibimbap sauce, steamed rice and a fried egg.

 
It is fresh, healthy, and packed with bold flavor. But what I really love about this dish is that you can make endless variations depending on your preference and dietary requirements. Some people like using raw beef and raw egg yolk along with other vegetables, but I prefer making mine with cooked ingredients, which is how my mom would cook it.

Making magic from leftovers

When I was a kid, my mom would make her own version of bibimbap without even knowing that it was inspired by a Korean dish. She just cooked this to get rid of leftover meat or vegetables in the fridge that needed to be used before they lost their freshness.

Since bibimbap was so easy to make, she also prepared it when she didn’t have the time or energy to put much effort into a meal. She would just throw together a few sauteed vegetables, kimchi, and some marinated beef. Regardless of the ingredients she used or the presentation, her version of bibimbap was always super tasty! 

Easy Bibimbap

One of the reasons I love bibimbap is there so many options, and there are no rules! It smells and tastes like freedom—feel free to cook the version you like. However, you can start with this “basic” recipe.

Ingredients 

For meat and marinade  

1. 100 grams of any thinly sliced meat (I used beef, but you can also use chicken, pork, shrimp, or fish fillet) 
2. 1 tbsp soy sauce
3. 1 tbsp sesame oil
4. 1 tsp brown sugar
5. 1/4 tsp minced garlic

Assorted vegetables 

1. 100g Bean sprouts, washed and drained
2. 100g cabbage
3. 1 medium sized carrot 
4. 1 small cucumber
5. Onions

Others

1. 1/2 tsp salt 
2. steamed rice (you can also use cauliflower rice or brown rice for a healthier option)
3. 2 to 3 eggs 
4. cooking oil 
5. sesame seeds
6. kimchi 

Bibimbap sauce
I got this bibimbap sauce recipe from RecipeTinEats, but I added some sesame seeds and sesame oil.

1. 2 Tbsp gochujang
2. 1 Tbsp sesame oil
3. 1 Tbsp sugar 
4. 1 Tbsp water
5. 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
6. 1 tsp rice vinegar
7. 1 tsp mirin
8. 1 tsp minced garlic

Directions 

1. Mix the beef with the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Marinate the meat for about 30 minutes.
2. Cook the meat on medium high to high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Prepare the bibimbap sauce by mixing the gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, water, rice binergar, mirin, and minced garlic. Sprinkle sesame seeds. 
4. Blanch the bean sprouts, and sauté the carrots and onions. TIP: Use pre-chopped veggies from the grocery store to save on prep time. 
5. Cook the eggs, leaving the yolks runny. (I prefer a sunny-side up egg or you can use thinly sliced scrambled eggs.) 

Put the steamed rice into a bowl and add the meat, assorted vegetables, kimchi, and the egg on top of the rice. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a generous amount of kimchi or bibimbap sauce. Mix everything together in the bowl and enjoy!

A bowl of comfort and love
It’s amazing to see how such simple ingredients can become so delicious and Instagram-worthy. Then after mixing it all up, breaking the perfect runny egg yolk, and turning it into a delicious mess—it literally tastes like freedom. Comfort…love…all the feelings. That, my friend, makes this dish really flavorful and fun to eat. Yay! 

Trust me, this quick and easy recipe will make anyone fall in love with Korean food. You'll be surprised to discover how simple this recipe is, and the best part is that you get to share it with your loved ones because it’s perfect for weeknight meals, parties, and beyond! 

Again, this is how I like to make my bibimbap, but feel free to customize or experiment with different ingredients to change up the recipe and create a bowl you love. And yes, it will definitely make your heart go Bi-Bim-Bap.
 

Reference

https://www.recipetineats.com/bibimbap/

About The Writer

Michelle Estranero

Michelle is an anti-losyang, almost 40-ish mom who likes to write about parenting, fashion, events, beauty, fitness, tech, travel and ramblings that can make other people laugh, cry and relate. 12-time Blog Contest winner awarded by Nuffnang PH and other reputable brands. She's also a licensed physical therapist who decided to be a WAHM and yaya of 2 little brats. She's really good at losing her keys and so many other things. She's a mom who wants to reassure other moms that it's perfectly okay to be imperfect and whatever they have is priceless and irreplaceable.

Articles written for parenTeam:

•    A Tired Mom: Guide to Safely Losing the Post-Baby Weight 
•    Simple and Concrete Ways to Help Your Family Become Healthier (Organics)
•    Easy Bibimbap Recipe

The views and opinions expressed by the writer are his/her own, and does not state or reflect those of Wyeth Nutrition and its principals.